Gravette Boys Gaining Confidence

GRAVETTE — With virtually its entire team back from last season’s state tournament squad, the Gravette Lions were tabbed as one of the favorites in the 4A-1 Conference this season.

The Lions (9-7, 5-2) are one game off the conference lead behind Farmington and Pea Ridge as the second half of the league race is set to begin.

“It’s very similar to what we did last year, where we started out,” Lions coach Dustin Peters said following Tuesday night’s 72-32 win against Gentry. “You can kind of feel the momentum building a little bit.”

The Lions face a tough stretch in the coming games with Prairie Grove, Farmington and Berryville on the horizon, Peters said.

The 4A-1 has once again proven to be a dogfight every night.

“The parity in the league is good,” Peters said. “If you don’t play, you get beat. That is the bottom line. From top to bottom, it is a pretty good conference.”

Peters said he has been pleased with the play of Otto Troutner coming off the bench, where his scoring has improved since the beginning of the season.

— CHIP SOUZA

Pitts Recovering From Ankle Injury

FARMINGTON — Pea Ridge could be without its second-leading scorer when the Blackhawks play at Lincoln Friday in a 4A-1 Conference game.

Senior guard Levi Pitts was recovering Wednesday after he injured his ankle early in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s 45-39 loss at Farmington. The outcome left Pea Ridge and Farmington tied atop the 4A-1 boys standings with 6-1 league records.

“Levi has an ankle issue, but the good news is that there is no break,” Pea Ridge coach Charley Clark said of Pitts, who averages 12 points and 6 rebounds per game. “He’s a good kid and we hate it for him, and we’re going to need some guys bring up the level of their game until we get him back.”

Clark said sophomore Zach Davis or junior Logan Rose will likely replace Pitts in the starting lineup until he is able to return. Davis made consecutive 3-pointers to tie Farmington 31-31 after Pitts went out, but the Cardinals were able to complete the home-court victory.

“Zach Davis came in and played well,” Clark said. “ He hit two big shots to get us back in the game.”

Pea Ridge lost a potential starter before the season when 6-4 forward Camron Tidwell suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during practice.

— RICK FIRES

Lady Elks Sitting Pretty In Conference Race

GREENLAND — The first round-robin set of conference games is complete in the 3A-1 West Conference for the Elkins girls basketball team. And so far, the Lady Elks have done everything possible to put themselves in prime position for a league championship.

Elkins (11-6, 4-0) opened conference with a pair of home wins against Cedarville and Green Forest on Jan. 4 and Jan. 8. Then came a pair of tough road tests at West Fork and at Greenland on back-to-back playing dates.

In both games against the Lady Tigers and Lady Pirates, Elkins was forced to rally from a second half deficit, but used strong post play, rebounding and key defensive stops to pull out two huge wins.

First came a 51-49 win at West Fork on Friday, followed by an even more convincing 49-42 win at Class 3A defending state champ Greenland on Tuesday.

Suddenly, the Lady Elks find themselves as the hunted instead of the hunter in the 3A-1 West.

“It’s the kids job to enjoy this and it’s the coach’s job to keep them humble,” Elkins girls basketball coach Monica Wells said. “We could just as easily lose the last four if we don’t keep our head on straight.”

Skyler Johnson had a combined 37 points and 20 rebounds to lead the charge in the two wins against West Fork and Greenland.

“Skyler, the thing about her is she’s a great post player but she also plays defense,” Wells said. “But this was a total team effort. It takes all 15 of our players on that bench.”

Elkins is off from conference play this Friday and will instead visit Kansas, Okla. on Thursday.

— VERNON TARVER

Not A Good Night For Lady Pirates

Greenland girls basketball coach Alan Barton didn’t hide his displeasure with his team following Tuesday’s 49-42 loss to Elkins at Dee Lee Gymnasium.

The Lady Pirates (7-10, 2-1 3A-1 Conference) jumped out to an 18-8 lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter. But the advantage didn’t last as they committed 16 turnovers and shot just 3 of 15 from 3-point range.

“We knew Elkins was a good team, and the bad thing about it was we go out last week and work hard to get two wins in conference and then we come back and do this,” Barton said.

“But do I think we're one of the top teams in the league? Yes, I do. Tonight just wasn't our night.”

Greenland got within 37-36 with 5 minutes, 56 seconds remaining before Elkins used a 6-0 run to seal the win and hand the Lady Pirates their first conference loss of the season.

— ALEX ABRAMS