Blackhawks take two of three in Mansfield Tourney

MANSFIELD — Trent Loyd’s basketball Blackhawks traveled far south for their last invitational tournament of 2021, winning two of three contests to claim the consolation trophy at Mansfield last week.

The Hawks defeated the Vian Wolverines 40-37 for fifth place after besting the host Mansfield Tigers in the game prior 46-32. In first round action, the Hawks held a halftime lead on the Hackett Hornets before a disastrous third quarter sank their chances to win as they lost that game 57-39.

Game summaries:

Pea Ridge 40, Vian 37

The Hawks could only come up with two buckets in the opening period against Vian but fortunately they were the 3-point variety. Trey shots by Jared Brewer and James Bledsoe kept the Hawks as the Pea Ridge defense held the Wolverines to single digit scoring at 9.

The defense held Vian to just 9 points again in the second quarter while upping their output to 11 to go into the break trailing by just a single point at 18-17. Brewer, Colton Thurman and Will Anderson hit from behind the arc with Austin James contributing a regular field goal.

The Hawks had a breakout third quarter, with five different Pea Ridge athletes scoring led by Brewer’s double long shots from behind the 3-point line. Bledsoe hit again from downtown with Thurman also coming up with a second 3-pointer. Josh Turner and Bric Cates fired in goals from inside the arc as Pea Ridge forged ahead 33-29 headed into the final eight minutes of play.

Blackhawk defenders again held their foe to single digit scoring in the last period with Vian scoring but 8 points. The Hawks also had trouble finding the range in the late going, but two buckets by Cates and a 3-ball by Josh Turner proved to be enough to hold off the Wolverines for the final victory.

Hawks’ scoring totals were unusual as they recorded no free throws and only four regular field goals. Their sharp shooting skills gave them 10 successful 3-point baskets which proved to be decisive as they claimed the fifth place trophy.

Brewer led the Hawk attack with 12 points followed by Bledsoe, Thurman and Cates all with 6, Turner with 5, Anderson 3 and James with 2.

Pea Ridge 46, Mansfield 32

The Blackhawks outscored the Tigers in all four quarters, opening the game with a narrow lead then expanding it constantly throughout the contest for a final 14-point victory, 46-32.

Four Hawks combined to score 13 points in the first quarter to take a narrow 13-11 lead. Austin James nailed a 3-point and a goal, James Bledsoe scored twice inside the arc, Jared Brewer ripped a trey and Luke Baker sank a free throw in the run out to the lead.

The Hawks’ salty defense held the host Tigers to just 6 points in the second quarter, with Colton Thurman dropping in two treys, and Will Anderson and Bric Cates coming up with scores. The offense was enough to give the Hawks some room to breathe, leading 23-17 at the break.

Pea Ridge kept the lid on the Tiger offense in the third quarter, again limiting them to just 6 points. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks

used 3-point shots from James and Thurman, along with regular goals from Brewer and Cates plus a lone free throw by Brewer to put some distance between the competitors. The Hawks headed into the final period with a solid 34-23 advantage.

The Tigers again were held to single digits in the final period while the Hawks were not. Pea Ridge tallied 12 points in the last quarter on the strength of treys by James and Thurman, with Bledsoe, Cates and James knocking down regular goals as Pea Ridge won by a final of 46-32.

James was the top scorer for the Hawks with 13, followed closely by Thurman who tallied 12. Other scorers included Bledsoe 8, Brewer 6, Cates 4, Anderson 2 and Baker 1.

Hackett 57, Pea Ridge 39

Pea Ridge held leads after each of the first two quarters, but the Hornets parlayed an explosive third quarter into a hole Pea Ridge could not recover from in a 57-39 loss.

The trio of Bric Cates, Jared Brewer and Josh Turner all ripped 3-pointers in the early going, with Cates adding a pair of free throws and field goal along with Turner’s regular goal as Pea Ridge took control early 15-11.

The Hornets made a comeback in the second period, outscoring the Hawks 14-11 but it wasn’t enough to take the lead as Pea Ridge lead at the intermission 2625. Austin James was the only one to connect from behind the arc in the second, with Brewer, Turner, James Bledsoe and Joe Adams contributing solo buckets.

The third quarter proved to be fatal to the Hawks’ chances. The Hornets poured through 18 points with the Hawks only able to muster single goals by Cates and Adams. The Hornet flurry of activity left them ahead 43-30 going into the final period.

The Hawks did manage to slow the Hornets down some in the fourth and did pick it up offensively but it was too little too late as they lost by a final of 57-39. Cates was active in the period, scoring three times, with Will Anderson adding a goal and Bledsoe a free toss.

Cates led the offense with 15 points, followed by Turner with 7, Brewer 5, Adams 4, James 3, Bledsoe 3 and Anderson 2.