SILOAM SPRINGS — Siloam Springs boys basketball coach Tim Stewart challenged his team before Saturday’s game against Shiloh Christian to be more focused defensively than they were the previous night against Tahlequah, Okla.

The Panthers held up their end defensively against the high-octane Saints offense, while all-state forward Payton Henson and Dylan Gray teamed up on the offensive end for 54 points in a 73-62 win in the finals of the Siloam Springs Holiday Invitational.

“We definitely picked it up on the defensive end,” said Henson, who finished with 30 points. “Coach challenged us before the game started to really make defense a focus because the last two performances had not been very good defensively. We came out focused. We weren’t very lackadasical on defense. We knew if we wanted to win this game we were going to have to play defense.”

Leading by 10 at halftime, the Panthers (10-1) came out in the second half and built up their advantage to 19 after a score inside by Gray, who had career-high 24 points. Gray had a productive end of the third and start of the fourth, scoring all 14 of his second half points.

The Saints, behind a late scoring run by all-state guard Darian Harris, were able to pull within 10 in the final minute. Henson, who is close friends with Harris, capped his night with a dunk for the second straight evening.

“You defintiely pick up your level of play when you play a buddy because it’s bragging rights there,” Henson said. “You don’t want to lose that game.”

It was Siloam Springs’ second win against Shiloh Christian (5-7) this season. The Panthers beat the Saints 76-71 on Dec. 4.

“We didn’t shoot it near as well (this time),” said Shiloh Christian coach Brent Hester. “They played really well and made a couple of adjustments. The ball didn’t go in the hole like it often does.

“Last time they played a zone on three trips, and we scored eight or nine on those three trips and they got out of it. I expected the same thing tonight. The ball just didn’t go in the hole.”

The Saints especially had trouble with Henson underneath the basket.

“We’re trying to never let him catch it and send two or three guys at him when he does,” Hester said. “He’s just a special player.”

Stewart was much more pleased with the Panthers’ defensive effort for most of the game.

“The zone and halfcourt defense we were a lot more active,” Stewart said. “We were able to get them out of that dribble, penetrate, find a great shooter mode. We put Payton on Darian a little more. Payton’s size was able to diminish some of those easy looks.”

Harris finished with 25 points, 14 of which came in the fourth. Daniel Matthews had 14 points, powered by four 3-pointers.

Siloam Springs did not have any other player in double figures besides Henson and Gray, but Stewart commended point guard Austin Comiskey’s eight assists to just two turnovers.

“Those two (Henson and Gray) had really good action. That’s big,” Stewart said. “Austin Comiskey, eight assits and two turnovers, that wins games.”

Now the Panthers will turn their attention to opening conference play Friday against Springdale Har-Ber.

The Panthers defeated the Wildcats in Stewart’s first game as head coach a year ago.

“They’re a scary team,” Stewart said of the Wildcats. “They play the same style just like Shiloh. They penetrate, pitch and shoot it quick, and if the 3s are going in, they’re dangerous.”

SILOAM SPRINGS 73, SHILOH CHRISTIAN 62

Siloam Springs 15 19 20 19 — 73

Shiloh Christian 17 7 13 25 — 62

Siloam Springs (10-1): Payton Henson 30, Dylan Gray 24, Reece Goddard 5, Raul Leyva 4, Austin Comiskey 4, Austin Van Poucke 3, Nick Seliga 1.

Shiloh Christian (5-7): Darian Harris 25, Daniel Matthews 14, Hunter Pauling 8, Ryder Anderson 6, Andrew Daniels 5, Ben Burke 4.

Greenwood 62, Tahlequah 41

Ethan Clark scored 17 points, and Colton McEvoy added 13 as Greenwood won the third place game. Lain Wright led Tahlequah with 13 points.

McAlester 50, Wagoner 45

Darrion Brown scored 18 points, and Jerrod McCormick added 17 as McAlester, Okla., beat Wagoner 50-45 in the fifth place game. Bryon Adams scored 16 points for Wagoner, while Jessarai Fullbright had 10 points.

Prairie Grove 63, Gentry 31

Ty Tice scored 13 points, while Jacob Storlie and J.D. Speed each had 10 in Prairie Grove’s win in the seventh place game.

Dusty Haag scored 10 points to lead Gentry.