Blackhawks hammer Tigers 74-43

The first few minutes of the first quarter saw the Blackhawk boys stumble just a bit as the visiting Tigers of Prairie Grove jumped out to an early lead. Near the midway point of the quarter, the 'Hawks' offensive engine roared to life, racing past their district foe to go on to post a mercy ruled 74-43 victory at home Tuesday, Jan. 10.

"It was fun to watch," head coach Trent Loyd exuded. "We were a bit slow getting started, but once we got into a full court press, the boys started working together, putting a lot of energy into their efforts to post what turned into a one-sided victory"

The Tigers' Will Pridmore sank a 3-pointer to start the game, and after Matt Thomas scored the 'Hawks' first point on a free throw, Pridmore hit a short jumper to give the visitors a 5-1 lead early on.

Thomas traded layups with Tiger Camden Simmons and the score stood at 7-3 with 5:01 left in the first. However, it went all downhill from there for the Tigers.

Kobe Rose ripped a trey from the corner, then after a 'Hawk steal, Britton Caudill scored underneath, and after he sank the subsequent free throw, the 'Hawks shot into the lead 9-7 at the quarter mid-way point.

The 'Hawks' stringent defense wouldn't let the Tigers get a good look at the basket and a pair of scores by Thomas in the paint along with a free throw gave Pea Ridge a 14-7 lead at the 3:09 mark. Riley Rhodes broke the 'Hawk streak with a rebound score.

The Tigers decided to guard the perimeter tightly, negating the 'Hawks prolific outside shooting, but it didn't matter as the 'Hawks rolled in four layups before the quarter buzzer, two by Thomas and one each by Hayden Holtgrewe and Caudill to offset scores by Prairie Grove's Nick Pohlman and Isaac Disney. Joey Hall added a free throw as Pea Ridge led 23-14 going into the second quarter.

The Tigers held fast to their game plan of stopping the 'Hawks 3-point attack but it was to no avail, as Pea Ridge rang up five layups and a charity toss to jump out to a big 34-18 lead with 3:49 left in the half. Thomas and Westin Church dropped in two of the layups each with Hall adding the fifth. Britton Caudill added a free throw in the 'Hawk surge.

Tigers Pohlman and Demarcus Cooper canned a pair of jump shots to get to within 12, but Thomas scored underneath with Hall hustling to get open for a shot from the arc and he got it to go to put the home boys up 39-22 with a minute left in the half.

Copper and Disney combined for 4 points in the final seconds of the half, but the Tigers faced a 39-26 deficit going into intermission.

The first half saw the 'Hawks' defenders impose a shredding defense, coming up with nine steals while contesting every shot the Tigers tried to make. The third quarter provided more of the same.

Prairie Grove's Simmons scored the first bucket of the third, but after Rose hit a trey, consecutive steals lead to two layups by Thomas seconds apart. The flurry fattened the lead to 46-28.

Tiger stellar athlete Disney got into a groove, hitting a pair of long jumpers, but the 'Hawks answered each score. Caudill scored on a rebound with Hall scoring underneath.

Thomas scored after another 'Hawk steal then managed a tip-in to threaten to turn the game into an all out rout as Pea Ridge led 54-32 with 1:43 left. Cooper aided the Tiger cause with a field goal and free throw but Thomas added a layup just before the buzzer, and the 'Hawks held a nearly insurmountable 56-35 lead headed into the fourth period.

Whatever faint chance the Tigers had for a comeback were snuffed out in quick fashion as Cole Wright dropped in a pair of shots from behind the arc as Pea Ridge flirted with reaching the mercy rule lead, holding a 62-35 lead with 7:00 left in the game.

Over the next four minutes, the Tigers could not connect from the field and could manage but a pair of free throws. An old-fashioned 3-point play by Thomas was followed up with a shot from downtown by Church as the 'Hawks gained a 31-point lead, 68-37, to start the clock to run continuously.

With the 'Hawk bench cleared, the Tigers came up with a trey, rebound shot and a free throw but 'Hawk reserves Landon Allison and Joseph Beard drained 3-pointers to hold the 30-point lead as the hosts won by a final score of 74-43.

"The press got us going," remarked Loyd, "and the game was a total team effort. When we play as unselfishly as we did, we can do great things as a team."

Thomas led the scoring with 31, with Hall adding 10. Caudill and scored 8, Rose and Wright 6, Church 5, Allison 3, Beard 3, and Holtgrewe 2.

The 'Hawks have a big road game Friday as they visit Gravette with the league lead on the line. The teams are both undefeated in conference play as of presstime.