Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Dodge Ball CARDS HOLD OFF LIONS IN TWO OVERTIMES
FARMINGTON — Facing down all sorts of basketball adversity in the last five minutes of regulation empowered Farmington to win, 69-67, in double overtime, yet was incomparable to Gravette’s challenges.
The contest brought an exciting conclusion to opening night of the Tony Chachere’s Classic hosted by Farmington Thursday. Gravette played with raw emotion with the school still reeling from the death of sophomore Lane Killion. The 15-year-old, a lifelong resident of the area, died Tuesday, Dec. 6, at his home following a year-long battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Farmington public address announcer Steve Morgan asked those in attendance to pause for a long moment of silence to honor Killion’s memory prior to the tip-off.
From the jump-ball, the Lions played with intensity as if Killion, who played football and ran track, was there with them. They put plenty of pressure on the Cardinals, taking a 15-11 first quarter lead with half of those points coming from Kelton Trembly including back-to-back field goals to cap an 8-0 Gravette run.
Matt Wilson had 17 points in the first half for Farmington and his 3-point play pulled the Cardinals within, 23- 20, before Gravette finished the half with another 7-2 run starting with Trembly’s 18- feet pull- up from the left wing. Andrew Miller had 22 points for Gravette and hit a 3-pointer, followed by Trembly’s turnaround jumper going left to give the visitors a 30-22 halftime advantage.
Then came the Wilson show. Farmington’s 6- 2 senior nailed a quartet of 3- pointers and scored 16 points to propel Farmington back into the lead by outscoring Gravette, 20-7, in the third quarter. One of those treys came when Skyler Montez yanked away an offensive rebound deep on the left baseline. Surrounded, he quickly found an outlet and Farmington reversed the ball to Wilson, who spotted up from the right wing. Over a minute later, Miller connected on another 3-pointer for the Lions, but Wilson was feeling his shot and hit a trifecta with a defender in his face. Chris Childress answered for Gravette, but Wilson busted another trey to tie the game at 39-all. His last 3-pointer of the quarter came off a control dribble, milking the clock, then firing from the top-of-the-key with six seconds on the third quarter clock.
Farmington led 42-39 as the third period ended, but after Montez’ 3-point play put them in front, 48-41, at the 6: 47 mark, they went cold. Gravette went on a 12- 0 run. Three consecutive field goals by Trembly with an added free throw tied the game. Miller put the Lions ahead, 53-48, with a 3-pointer and a steal for a breakway layup. Xavier Staten ended a 3: 36 scoring drought by converting a pair of foul shots and Wilson added two more to cut Gravette’s lead to 53-52.
Trembly missed, but Seth Duke put in the rebound. Farmington then experienced a world of adversity inside two minutes to play in regulation. Trembly stole a careless Cardinal pass and sailed in for an uncontested layup putting Gravette ahead, 57- 52. Farmington tried to answer quickly but Wilson missed the front end of a 1-and-1. The Cardinals pounded the offensive glass like gangbusters. Not one of four shots would go down, but Cade Fenton earned a trip to the foul line and sank both, leaving Farmington with a 3-point deficit. Gravette couldn’t score and Wilson tied the game at 57-57 with his seventh 3-pointer.
The Lions tried to play for a last shot, but were forced to call time- out when the Cardinals trapped the ball-handler near halfcourt. A Lion shot missed and Fenton had his hands on the rebound, but a jump-ball was called with the alternate possession being retained by Gravette with 12.7 seconds left. Their in-bounds pass was stolen by Montez, but the officials called a violation and the Lions in-bounded again from the side with time down to 5.2 seconds. This time, Farmington got a steal, but Wilson’s half-court heave was off the mark and the game went into overtime.
Farmington’s Taylor Carbonel triggered an in-bounds play under the basket and found Fenton for an easy bucket. Gravette tied the game on free throws, but cost themselves a point on a lane violation and lost another opportunity when Childress came down out-ofbounds with a rebound. He was able to put the Lions ahead, 61-59, however by elbowing away a defender and scoring in the lane.
Wilson couldn’t answer but Fenton had inside position on the rebound and was fouled, making both. Miller got free for a wideopen layup, but Wilson drew another foul, making 2 of 2 to tie the game at 63-63 with 36 seconds showing in the first overtime. Wilson had a bank shot bounce out from the top of the box and Trembly’s 3-point try hit the front of the rim to send the contest into a second overtime.
The game was tied again at 65-65 when Trembly hit 2 of 4 free throws, sandwiched around Carbonel’s left- handed runner in the lane. Farmington free throws were answered by Miller’s backside layup when he cut to the hoop after the ball was trapped on the right wing. The basket tied the game for the last time at 67-67 with 48 seconds to play in double overtime. Wilson controlled the dribble for Farmington, repeatedly breaking pressure by feigning a drive to avoid a 5-second call. When he did drive, he dished to Fenton, who flashed in the paint for the winning bucket. Gravette’s last try went awry when Dayton Wishon lost the ball while going up and had to throw up an awkward shot that was rebounded by Fenton as time expired in the second overtime.