PEA RIDGE — You can’t teach size, and Shiloh Christian had a sizeable advantage because of it Saturday in the championship game of the 1-4A Conference tournament.
The Lady Saints wore down top-seeded Prairie Grove, outscoring the Lady Tigers by more than twofold in the second half en route to a 47-32 victory.
Shiloh (23-3) held Prairie Grove to two field goals in the second half. The Lady Tigers (22-7) were without 6-foot sophomore Justyne Huber, and junior guard Michelle Lumsargis played limited minutes.
“They were less a couple of kids tonight ... and that made a difference as far as their stamina,” Shiloh Christian Coach Vic Rimmer said. “They had to rely too much on Kendra Coyle, and she played a great game.
“The game was physical, but we like it physical, and I thought that played to our advantage.”
Coyle scored 16 points, providing half of Prairie Grove’s offense. Whitnee Fitts added eight points, which included making 6 of 6 free throws.
“Yeah we missed [Huber],but other players have got to step it up and make plays,” Prairie Grove Coach Kevin Froud said. “She would’ve helped us on the offensive end.”
Shiloh Christian’s Hannah Persing led all scorers with 18 points, and Meagan Henley added 10. Lindsey Roe contributed eight points.
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (47) Persing 18, Henley 10, L. Roe 8, Parks 4, M. Roe 4, Lowe 3.
PRAIRIE GROVE (32) Coyle 16, Fitts 8, Beeks 4, Galloway 3, Bryant 1.
Shiloh Christian ....... 15 9 10 13 - 47 Prairie Grove .......... 10 12 6 4 - 32 Boys
PEA RIDGE 61, SHILOH CHRISTIAN 58
It took the Blackhawks six periods to put away Shiloh Christian, but Pea Ridge (22-8) outlasted the Saints for the title.
The No. 3 seed Blackhawks missed an eight-foot jump shot to end regulation and had a 40-footer rim out at the end of the first overtime, but they built a three-point lead in the second overtime and left it to Shiloh to tie.
Sophomore Darian Harris scored 14 points but missed a contested shot on the Saints’ final possession that could have sent the game to a third extra period.
David Matthews scored a game-high 23 points for Shiloh, while Cameron Thompson led Pea Ridge with 22 points.
Pea Ridge made 11 of 16 free throws in the two overtimes, while the Saints didn’t have an attempt after regulation. SHILOH CHRISTIAN (58) Matthews 23, Harris 14, Oliver 12, Thompson 6, Harper 3.
PEA RIDGE (61) Thompson 22, Cooper 19, Woodward 12, Higgins 6, Hall 2.
Pea Ridge ..........15 8 10 10 8 10 - 61 Shiloh Christian ...10 5 13 15 8 7 - 58
Sports, Pages 32 on 02/20/2011