Blackhawk cagers off to fast start; Lady Hawks split
Trent Loyd’s varsity boys’ basketball took a couple of quarters to get revved up, but once they did they erupted for 24 points in the third quarter in their 61-56 come from behind win in their season opener victory over Alma. Two days later, they kept rolling, racing out to an insurmountable lead in their 53-24 conquest of Rogers Providence.
Heath Neal’s Lady Blackhawks also opened on a high note, taking down 6A Van Buren 57-44.
Boys
Pea Ridge 61, Alma 56
The visiting Airedales jumped out to a 5-point lead in the first period, hitting three treys, two by Easton Boggs, along with three other goals and two for two free throw shooting. The Hawks countered with a pair of 3-pointers by Ben Wheeler, with Josh Turner hitting a bucket and free throw to go with a solo shot by Jeriah Gamez as Pea Ridge trailed 17-12 headed into the second period.
The Hawks’ James Bledsoe caught fire in the second period, firing in four 3-pointers to lead a comeback. Though the Hawks’ only other offense was a field goal by Turner, tighter defense shrank the lead a tad, with Alma going into the break with only a 4-point lead at 30-26.
The Hawks came out of intermission like a hurricane, limiting their guests to just 9 points of offense while jamming through 24 points of their own to take a 50-39 lead headed into the final period. It was Bledsoe again leading the charge, raining down three treys, a field goal and a free toss to score half the total, with the other Hawks warming up to feed the tsunami. Turner hit three goals inside the arc along with a free throw, with Wheeler dropping a shot from downtown. Bric Cates scored inside the
Hawks other points as the boys from the Ridge surged ahead by 11.
Alma matched their first quarter offense in the fourth with 17, and while Hawks could only muster 11 points in the final period, the third quarter explosion was all the offense the Hawks would need in notching their first win of the season. Wheeler came up big with a trey and field goal, with Austin James ripping a trey and Turner converting an old-time trey with a bucket and free throw.
Bledsoe led all Hawk scorers with 24 followed by Turner and Wheeler with 15 each, James with 3 and Cates 2. Boggs and Israel Towns-Robinson led Alma with 16 apiece.
Girls
Pea Ridge 57, Van Buren 44
The visiting Pointers could have been treated for shock after the Blackhawk girls nearly ran them out of the gym in the first quarter, holding their guests to zero field goals and only three free throws. The Hawks had five girls combine for 18 points to take an 18-3 lead and were never seriously threatened in the season opener for both teams.
While the Pointers went goalless, the Hawks shot through five, with Leah Telgemeier canning two treys along with a pair of free throws. Jadyn Spivey added to the onslaught with a goal and pair of free throws, while Raegan Bleything hit one behind the arc, Mia Dayberry sank one inside the arc, and Makenzie Stites nailed a free toss.
Van Buren did manage to finally hit from the field in the second period, scoring three goals and a free throw for 8 points. The Hawks cooled off slightly in the second quarter, but not much as they rang up 16 points to give the Ridge girls an imposing 34-11 lead at the break. Spivey led the offense with a trey, a goal,