Lions lose pair of scrimmage contests
Lion varsity, JV, fall to Grove Ridgerunners
GRAVETTE — The 2019-20 Gravette Lion varsity and junior varsity basketball teams were back on the court in action in the old gym at Gravette High School June 18 for their annual summer league scrimmages.
Six teams, including Berryville and Grove, Okla., joined the Lions on the court for the sixgame series.
Leading off the day was host varsity Gravette Lions taking on the Grove Ridgerunners.
The Lions scored first in the 16-minute half but, two minutes later, the Ridgerunners hit a pair of field goals and grabbed the lead by two. Gravette kept pace with Grove through the first nine minutes of the game, but the Lions’ shooting suddenly went cold and Grove began to pull away. By the halftime break, the Ridgerunners were up, 16-6.
Quick adjustments in the Lion lineup by coach Matt Busch brought Gravette back into the contest in the second half. The Lions closed the gap to one with 1:28 left in the game, but a three-point shot by Grove took away any hope of the Lions regaining the lead. When the final buzzer sounded, the Grove senior boys defeated the Gravette Lions, 30-25.
Up next it was the junior varsity’s turn to shine. And shine the team did. The JV Lions latched onto the lead in the early going and held it throughout the entire first half, taking a 13-10 advantage into the break.
The JV Ridgerunners managed to tie the contest at 15 all in the first two minutes of the second half. And, as with the varsity boys in the previous contest, Coach Busch made quick personnel changes that resulted in the Lions regaining control of the contest and extending their lead to five going into the closing three minutes.
But the Grove coach made a few adjustments of his own and the JV Ridgerunners hit a series of two-point conversions to take the lead in the contest. Grove went on to claim the victory, 31-29.
No other scores were available at press time.