Gravette uses pressure defense to upset Berryville

LINCOLN — Gravette wore warmups Saturday that read “Cut The Net” across the front.

Gravette didn’t get to cut the net but it did upset Berryville 49-44 to win the championship of the 4A-1 Northwest Conference Tournament at the Lincoln gym. The loss was only the second of the season for Berryville, which will host a Class 4A regional tournament this week. Gravette (22-6) will be the No. 1 seed and Berryville (28-2) the No. 2 seed from the 4A-1 Conference.

“We kind of added those shooter tops as a goal to get to this point,” Gravette coach Will Pittman said. “We’ve had them for most of the season. It’s hard to put that on there. But we wanted to make them work for it.”

Prairie Grove defeated Huntsville 37-20 in the third-place game on Saturday. Emily Grant scored 13 points for Prairie Grove, which led 25-7 at halftime.

Berryville led most of the way Saturday until Cally Kildow made a 3-point basket to tie the game 33-33 to end the third quarter. The Lady Lions then dominated the fourth quarter with a half-court pressure defense that forced Berryville into a string of turnovers.

Gravette took a 45-38 lead following a steal and layup by Teagan Dixon with 1 minute, 20 seconds left in the game. Kyrstin Branscum finished with 14 points to lead eight players who contributed at least one point for the Lady Lions.

“We played the gambling, pressure defense that we have to because Berryville’s got two of the better post players around,” Gravette coach Will Pittman said. “I was pleased with our effort, one through nine. We ran nine of them in and they all did a great job.”

Kelcee Hopper scored 19 points to lead Berryville but Hannah Morrell, the other post player, got into foul trouble and contributed only five points. Guard Lexy Anderson added 15 for the Lady Bobcats.

The first half was played mostly inside with Hopper and Branscum trading baskets. Hopper had 12 points in the first half, including consecutive baskets to put Berryville ahead 25-18. Branscum had eight points before guard Bernice Garcia and Cally Kildow contributed 3-pointers to slice the Berryville lead to 27-23 at halftime.

Westside Eagle Observer/CHARLIE KAIJO Gravette High School guard Tori Foster (22) and Kyrstin Branscum (3) collect the first-place plaque during the 4A-1 Northwest Conference Tournament girls’ basketball game on Saturday at Lincoln High School in Lincoln. Gravette High School defeated...

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Maria Socha (Pea Ridge 15), Shylee Morrison (Gravette 15), and Jessica Bookout (Gravette 23) fight for a rebound during the first round of the 1 4A Northwest Conference tournament at Lincoln on Feb. 13. Bookout eventually gained control of the ball to...

Westside Eagle Observer/CHARLIE KAIJO Gravette High School’s Cally Kildow (24) sprints down the court around a Berryville High School guard during the 4A-1 Northwest Conference Tournament girls’ basketball game, Saturday, at Lincoln High School in Lincoln.