SILOAM SPRINGS — The Siloam Springs girls basketball team didn’t win a tournament championship Saturday, but the Lady Panthers did gain confidence that they can play among the state’s best teams.
Conway won its third straight Siloam Springs Holiday Classic championship with a 70-67 win against the host Lady Panthers — the third straight year the teams have played for the title.
In the end it was a loss for Siloam Springs, but coach Tim Rippy hopes his team will benefit down the road from such an experience.
Siloam Springs led Conway 18-17 after the first quarter but fell behind 40-34 at halftime after Conway hit four 3-pointers in the second quarter and scored 23 points.
The Lady Panthers (10-2) opened the second half with a 7-0 run to take a 41-40 lead after Ashlin Stock banked in a 3-pointer.
Conway’s Asia Willard banked in a 3-pointer of her own to answer, and Lady Wampus Cats coach Ashley Nance called timeout and switched from a man-to-man defense to a 2-3 zone.
The switch seemed to work as Conway (12-2) went on a 13-3 run to go up 56-44 late in the third quarter after a basket from Alexis Tolefree.
The Lady Panthers weren’t done though. Siloam Springs got 3-point baskets from Taylor Gay, Stock and Morgan Miller and cut the lead to 64-60 in the fourth quarter.
Conway led 70-65 with 17.2 seconds left when Willard missed a pair of free throws and Mayse Pippin was fouled on the other end for the Lady Panthers.
PRAIRIE GROVE 50, TAHLEQUAH (OKLA.) 27
Lacy Beeks scored 18 points to lead the Lady Tigers to a win in the third place game.
GENTRY 56, CHARLESTON 42
Haley Borgeteien-James scored 21 points as the Lady Pioneers picked up a win in the seventh place game. Jordan Olds had 14 points, while Karoline Page had 10 for Gentry, which led 29-13 at halftime.
BOYS
SILOAM SPRINGS 52, CHARLESTON 47
Siloam Springs pulled itself out of a seven-point fourth quarter deficit to rally and beat Charleston 52-47 inside Panther Activity Center. The win was the third straight for Siloam Springs after coming into the tournament on a four-game losing streak. The Panthers (6-5) trailed 42-35 after a basket from Tigers guard Matthew Ward. Siloam Springs freshman point guard Avery Benson responded with a three-point play to pull the Panthers within 42-38. Benson, however, fouled out on the Panthers’ next defensive possession with 4:08 left. During the 20-second lull, fans between the two schools began shouting at one another behind the Charleston bench, prompting school oft cials to respond. When play resumed down below, the Panthers got four straight defensive stops — including two turnvoers — and went on 7-0 run to take a 45-42 lead.
SHILOH CHRISTIAN 75, PRAIRIE GROVE 61
Andrew Daniels scored 13 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Saints pulled away for the third place win.