Cards Can’t Overtake Panthers

SILOAM SPRINGS — Siloam Springs made the plays it needed to make down the stretch in its 5A/6A District 1 opener against Farmington.

The Panthers hit 4 of 6 free throws and forced a huge jump ball with a slim lead and finished off a 64-59 victory over the Cardinals in Panther Activity Center on Jan. 3.

After a sluggish start to begin the game, falling behind 12-4 early, the Panthers rallied to take the lead in the second quarter and they never gave it up the rest of the way.

“We missed eight or nine free throws there in the first half,” said Farmington coach Beau Thompson. “We had a chance to extend the lead, but we let a team stay close on their home floor. For us, we’re really offensively challenged, so our margin for error is not real high.”

Siloam Springs led by as many as six points in the second half, but the Panthers never could pull away from Farmington, who stayed in it thanks to a game-high 22 points from Skyler Montez.

Leading 60-59 with 10.1 seconds left, Thad Wright banked in a free throw for Siloam Springs but missed the second shot, however Marquan Sorrells got his hands on the rebound along with a Farmington player to force a jump ball and the possession arrow going to the Panthers.

Spencer Lashley got the inbound and was fouled with 5.6 left, and he made both free throws for a 63-59 lead. The Cardinals (7-8, 0-1) turned the ball over without any time running off and Sorrells split another pair of free throws to set the final score.

Lashley and Jacob Wakefield each scored 14 points to lead the Panthers (3-12, 1-0), who won their second straight game. Sorrells added 10 points.

Farmington competed at the Bail Bonds tournament hosted by Mountain Home during the Christmas break. The Cardinals lost 41-35 to Hamburg Dec. 27, then beat Brinkley (62-49) on Dec. 28 and Batesville (70-43) on Dec. 29.

“We had a chance to extend the lead, but we let a team stay close on their home floor. For us, we’re really offensively challenged, so our margin for error is not real high.”

Beau Thompson Farmington Basketball Coach

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington senior Jacob Gray jumps center during the tip-off of the Cardinals’ last game before Christmas, a 65-36 loss to 7A Bentonville West on Dec. 19. In their first game after New Year’s Day, the Cardinals lost 64-59 at Siloam Springs on Jan. 3.