PG Boys Victorious Over Lions

TIGERS BEAT BACK GRAVETTE 47-42

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove withstood a late Gravette run that reduced the Tiger lead to one by scoring five unanswered points in the last minute to notch a 47-42 win.

Playing at home in Tiger Arena Friday, Prairie Grove led 32-31 after three quarters then built a 42-33 advantage on back-to-back baskets by senior Landon Semrad, who scored 20 points, to cap a decisive 10-2 run.

The Lions rallied beginning with Sandeep Dhillon’s assist to Michael Duke for a layup. After a Prairie Grove free throw by Eric Henderson, Gravette scored on an offensive rebound, a driving layup and 3-pointer, narrowing the Tiger lead to 43-42.

Prairie Grove coach Steve Edmiston called time- out to settle the Tigers down and Semrad came through in the clutch. The 6-feet-3 senior got into the lane and slipped his way to the front of the rim. He scored and drew a foul. The free throw was no good, leaving a mere three points separating the teams, but Gravette couldn’t score and fouled Cole Edmiston. He hit both shots of the double bonus with 12 seconds to set the final margin of 47-42.

Gravette grabbed a 6-2 first quarter lead on consecutive treys by Dhillon and Gunnar Woolard. Prairie Grove erased that deficit by scoring seven straight points. Henderson had 16 points and began the run with a 3- pointer. Next, Semrad slammed home a two-handed alley oop pass from Conner Hubbs, rousing the hometown Prairie Grove fans. The play executed in the half-court offense brought a smile to Steve Edmiston’s face.

“You enjoy it when you see that [teamwork],” Steve Edmiston said.

It was the type of set Gravette coach Matt Busch likes to run, but this time it was the Tigers capitalizing upon Semrad’s athleticism to generate momentum. Semrad went baseline and elevated to hit a short jumper in traffic to culminate the run, helping Prairie Grove assume a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Prairie Grove twice led by six in the second quarter on a steal and layup by Henderson, making it 17-11, and later when Tate Benoit picked up a loose ball in the corner and drove the baseline, converting a reverse layup to make the score 22-16.

The Lions forged a 7-0 run to briefly capture the lead. Woolard started the surge with a bucket at the 1: 48 mark and finished the run by stroking a trifecta 43 seconds later to push Gravette in front 23-22. Benoit’s free throws changed the lead back in the Tigers’ favor, 24-23, at the half.

The Tigers played without Ryder Orr.

PRAIRIE GROVE 56, GRAVETTE 42

Gravette 9 14 8 11 — 42 Prairie Grove 12 12 8 15 — 47 Prairie Grove (6-9, 2-2): Landon Semrad 20, Eric Henderson 16, Tate Benoit 4, Cole Cash 3, Cole Edmiston 2, Conner Hubbs 2. Gravette (12-7, 2-2): Individual scoring totals not available.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Prairie Grove junior Tate Benoit drew a foul and made both free throws during the first half of a 47-42 win at home over Gravette in 4A-1 boys basketball action Friday at Tiger Arena. Benoit scored four points in the contest.