PEA RIDGE — On the heels of very nearly upsetting one of the top-ranked teams in the state, the Blackhawks hit a dry spell offensively as they suffered a double loss last week in district basketball action. Both games were on the road.
On Jan. 25, the ’Hawks lost a roller coaster affair to Gentry, falling 50-48 in the final seconds.
Three days later the ’Hawks came up short in a bid to come from far behind as they were edged out by Prairie Grove 61-47.
The losses dropped Pea Ridge (5-3) into a tie for second place with Prairie Grove (5-3) with fourth place Shiloh (5-4) just a half-game back. With Farmington now firmly ahead in the conference race with no losses on their 9-0 record, the battle for second place looms large. The top two finishing teams in the conference standings receive a bye into the district semi-finals which also guarantees the qualifying teams a slot in the regional tournament.
The ’Hawks will be hosting the 4A-1 District tournament this year with the final four district qualifiers heading into regional play. The regional consists of the top four teams from the 4A-1 and the 4A-4 districts to battle for the four state tournament berths that are awarded to each regional.
Game accounts Gentry 50, Pea Ridge 48
The ’Hawks got off to a fast start, dropping in three 3-pointers as Pea Ridge surged ahead 17-10 by the end of the first quarter.
Senior Kasey Cooper drilled two of the bombs with junior Dakota Woodward sinking the other one. Woodward also contributed another pair of field goals in the surge with Levi Roughton and Joe Adams rippng two of two free throw attempts.
Roles were flipped in the second quarter as the Pioneers heated up, outscoring a suddenly cold Blackhawk squad 16-8 to head into intermission with a narrow lead, 26-25. The ’Hawks got only solo baskets from Roughton, Ethan Higgins and Adams to go with a pair of free throws by Woodward.
The Pea Ridge defense picked up things a little in the third quarter with a little more offensive output as the ’Hawks climbedback ahead by the end of the third quarter. Thompson came alive for four baskets with Higgins also striking twice from the field as Pea Ridge slipped head of Gentry 37-35 by the end of the third quarter.
The ’Hawks couldn’t maintain the momentum in the final period as Gentry came up with 15 points to Pea Ridge’s total of 11 as the Lions managed to escape with a 2-point victory. Cooper hit a trey, another field goal and two free throws to rack up 7 fourth quarter points but the rest of the ’Hawk lineup could only muster solo shots by Thompson and Higgins as the Pioneers succeeded in pulling the upset.
Cooper led the scoring with 13 points, followed by Thompson with 10, Woodward 9, Higgins 8and Roughton and Adams both with 4.
Prairie Grove 61, Pea Ridge 57
Suffering the worst first half offensive production l year, the ’Hawks came soaring back in the second half before falling in the waning moments of the game.
Woodward was nearly the whole Blackhawk attack in the first quarter as the junior guard racked up three field goals, one from behind the arc. Cooper’s lone goal of the quarter was just enough to give the ’Hawks a narrow lead at the break, 9-7 heading into the second quarter.
Pea Ridge then had their worst quarter of the season, coming up with only a lone field goal by Cooper and two free throws by Jacob Hall as the Tigers thumpedthe ’Hawks 20-4 in the period, cruising into intermission with a 27-13 lead.
Sparked by Cooper’s 3-point shooting, the ’Hawks shook off their five straight quarter doldrums to come up with 17 points to shave a little off the Prairie Grove lead in the third quarter.
Cooper canned two treys and a pair of free throws with Jacob Hall sinking his own shot from downtown to go with a free throw and regular field goal as Pea Ridge trailed the Tigers 41-30 with a quarter to go. Adams helped in the third quarter revival with two free throws with Roughton adding points on a field goal.
The ’Hawks played lights out ball in the final period, scoring nearly as many points then as they had the previous three quarters. Woodward led the way with three 3-pointers as Pea Ridge piled up 27 points in the quarter.
Thompson, who had been held scoreless to that point, came alive with four field goals and a free throw as Pea Ridge made up the difference and tied the Tigers in the final moments. Cooper hit a trey, a field goal and free throw in the final push while Hall and Adams also scored from the field.
The game came down to free throws with the Tigers hitting all five of their opportunities with Pea Ridge connecting on only two of six attempts.
Cooper led the scoring again, this time with 18 with Woodward close behind with 16 points. Hall was in double figures with 10 while Thompson had 9, Roughton 7 and Adams 2.
Sports, Pages 7 on 02/02/2011