Tigers Take Out Berryville

TOURNEY WIN AVENGES SENIOR NIGHT LOSS TO BOBCATS

GENTRY — The tough season experienced by the Prairie Grove boys basketball team felt a little sweeter with a 54- 49 win over the Berryville Bobcats in the first- round of the district tournament on Feb. 12.

“It looked bleak a whole lot of the game,” said Prairie Grove coach Steve Edmiston, admitting the Tigers have been in that situation a lot this season.

Prairie Grove trailed 20-6 after the first quarter and 27-18 at halftime. The Tigers were still down by 9, at 37-28, at the end of the third before coming alive to score 26 points in the fourth.

Berryville scored first to start the fourth with Josh Morrell putting the Bobcats up 39-28. The Tigers then fashioned a 17- 6 run to knot the score up, at 45all, on J.D. Speed’s 3-point play with 3: 38 left. From then on, Prairie Grove rode momentum, taking the lead on Jacob Storlie’s quick spin right to score over Morrell in the low post. Ty Tice added a pair of foul shots, then fed Storlie for another bucket.

The Bobcats closed to within, 51-48, on free throws at the 1:02 mark but Prairie Grove milked the clock and Cameron Doughty converted both shots of the double bonus to give the Tigers some breathing room with a 53-48 lead.

Storlie led the Tigers with 25 points with Tice adding a dozen.

The win avenged a 5948 loss to Berryville on the Tigers’ senior night and featured a complete reversal of fortunes with the Bobcats having outscored Prairie Grove 2514 in the fourth quarter on Feb. 5.

Edmiston complimented his players on having the will to get it done realizing the elimination game could have been their last.

“We were patient in the third quarter, we got a lot of good looks which was key for us. I’m proud of our effort and the stick-toit-ness to get the win.”

“It was fun to watch us battle back and fight to win.” said Prairie Grove senior Jon Halbert.