’Hawks crush Pioneers, Tigers in double blowout

— Charley Clark’s Pea Ridge Blackhawks got back on track in a big way, crushing Gentry 68-32 in the annual Colors Day game on Tuesday, Jan. 22, before dismantling Prairie Grove 60-42 Friday, Jan.

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“We are starting to adjusting to life without Pitts,” coach Clark remarked. “We are a whole different team without Levi and we are going to have to grind it out to win games from here on out.”

Levi Pitts is the ’Hawks All-Star forward who went down with a severe ankle sprain on Jan. 15 and will be unable to play for a significant amount of time.

After a rocky first 4 minutes in the Gentry contest, the home boys turned up the heat and won going away. The ’Hawks, who had been on a shooting slump for the past few games, made only one of their first 12 shots while the Pioneers hit their first three tries to lead the game 7-3 midway into the first period.

Evan Tillman’s trey was the only score the ’Hawks could muster.

Jacob Hall ignited a rush with a lay-up to cut the deficit in half, then tied the game at 7-7 after Tillman stole a pass to feed Hall for another lay-up.

After another defensive stop, Hall hit a short jump shot, getting fouled in the process. He sank the freebie for a 10-7 Blackhawk lead with 4:01 left in the period.

Belying their 0-9 conference record, the Pioneers made a comeback with a 3-point shot followed by a lay-up moments later to take the lead back at 12-10. Hall’s fourth field goal-tied the score at 12-12, but the Pioneers responded with a jump shot to retake the lead.

Zach Davis nailed a 3 to regain the lead for Pea Ridge with Tillman executing a steal and lay-up moments later for a 17-14 lead. Hall then made a free throw with less than a minute left which was followed by a driving lay-up by Nick DeLeon to push the lead to 6 points. A Gentry lay-up and another score from the Pioneers left the first quarter at 21-16 in favor of Pea Ridge.

A free throw and lay-up by Isaac Mangrum early in the second period offset a jump shot by the Pioneers as the ’Hawks increased their lead to 24-18. Backto-back treys by Davis and Tillman threatened to turn the game into a rout as Pea Ridge quickly had a large lead at 30-18. Gentry then made consecutive scores to shrink the lead to 30-23 but the ’Hawks countered with 9 more points in the waning moments of the first half to lead at intermission 39-25.

Hall went on a rampage in the third quarter to score 15 individual points to help bring on the mercy rule in the final period.

Hall hit a pair of treys, a lay-up and was seven of seven from the line in the offensive outburst. At one point in the period, Hall was knocked down attempting a 3-point shot.

The resulting foul call enraged the visiting coach which led to a technical foul assessed against him.

What that meant was that Hall would go to the line for five free throws with the senior scoring leader ripping each shot.

Tilllman added to the onslaught with a bucket and two free throws with Mangrum sinking a lay-up and lone free throw. The visitors scored but 5 in the period as they trailed Pea Ridge 62-30 heading into the fourth quarter.

The reserves played the final period with the ’Hawks outscoring their counterparts 6-2 to end the contest. Austin Horton led the offensive with a 3-pointer and a free throw with Lloyd Kalberloh coming up with a field goal of his own.

Blackhawks vs. Prairie Grove

Against Prairie Grove, the ’Hawks buried their hosts early with a 17-3 spurt to start the game.

Substituting freely, Pea Ridge was never threatened and cruised to an easy victory.

The ’Hawks rained four treys down upon the Tigers in the first quarter and were led offensively by Tillman. The senior guard ripped a pair of treys to go with a field goal for 8 points. Davis added a trey as did Hall who also sank a field goal and free throw. Logan Rose shot in the ’Hawks other goal as they led 19-10after one period.

The referees were as active as the players in the second period with the two teams shooting a total of 17 free throws in the quarter, ’Hawks were 8 of 9 with the Tigers canning 6 of 8. Hall hit five of the freebies to go with a 3-pointer in the quarter with Blake Shephard adding the other trey, Mangrum scored a lay-up and free throw while Nick DeLeon scored a bucket to go with two free throws. The flurry gave the ’Hawks a 37-21 lead at the break.

Hall was accurate behind the arc in the third period, ripping a pair of treys to spark a 17-9 quarter advantage. Hall also picked up a free throw and field goal with Rose adding a goal and Tillman scoring twice from both the free throw line and the field. The ’Hawks led 54-30 at the end of the quarter.

The Tigers picked up their scoring in the last period, sinking five field goals and a pair of free throws. DeLeon scored a field goal early in the quarter and the ’Hawks other 4 points were gained via the charity stripe with Hall and Davis splitting the scoring.

“Jacob Hall had a monster game,” Clark said enthusiastically, “and we were more in sync today.

We really miss Pitts out there, and while we can’t replace him, I think we are going to be able to cope.”

The ’Hawks have four conference games left in the next two weeks, before heading into district tournament play at Gentry the following week.

Sports, Pages 10 on 01/30/2013