PRAIRIE GROVE -- Face-guarding Greenland guard and leading scorer Boone Tincher in the third quarter, Prairie Grove's Riley Rhodes stuck his hand in at the right moment from his help position to come away with a steal.
The play was indicative of the Tigers' defensive effort for much of the night in a 42-30 win against the Pirates Friday. Following the turnover, Anthony Johnson hit the hustling Rhodes in the right corner. With a shot fake, Rhodes got his man airborne and drove to the basket for a three-point play, pushing Prairie Grove's lead to 12.
The 30 points allowed to Greenland were a season-low for the Tigers, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
"I was thrilled with our defense. I challenged them a little bit to work on containing the basketball, applying more pressure and doing it without fouling," Tigers coach Steve Edmiston said. "It kind of got them out of what they like to do -- the dribble drive. When they execute it it's tough, and we're not a switching team."
Tincher was limited to just six points in the loss. His first bucket of the night came in the first quarter, but over the next two quarters he was held scoreless while Prairie Grove outscored Greenland 21-12.
"Between (Tincher and Cutter Watkins), those guys are athletic, long and good-looking basketball players," Edmiston said. "We knew those were going to be the two to try to contain because they work well off each other. If we can contain them we'll stay out of that scorefest."
Just two weeks out of football season, Prairie Grove is still working out the kinks offensively, but guard Will Pridmore provided enough Friday, pouring in a game-high 20 points. He got off to a hot start, sinking two 3-pointers in the first quarter. He would add another before halftime and three more buckets in the second half to lead the Tigers to their first win since Dec. 6.
"I think it built good momentum in the beginning of the game," Pridmore said of his early 3-balls. "It felt pretty good. We had a lot of energy and defensive intensity tonight, too."
Edmiston said he needs Pridmore to be a 17-24 point-per-game scorer for the offense to click like he wants. With 10 days off before heading to Siloam Springs there is time to iron things out.
"Will is not a true point guard, but he's what we need at that position," Edmiston said. "We're trying to find ways to initiate the offense with him, but then find ways to get it back to him. So if we just stay with that and get him his shots he's right at 20 per game for us."
Derek Pearson -- 12 points -- was the only other Tiger with more than three in the win. Will Overton led Greenland with 11 points as well.
Prairie Grove 42, Greenland 30
Greenland 10 5 7 8 -- 30
Prairie Grove 14 8 13 7 -- 42
Greenland (3-6): Overton 11, B. Tincher 6, Watkins 3, Redmon 3, Gobel 3, White 2, Fouch 2.
Prairie Grove (4-7): Pridmore 20, Pearson 12, Rhodes 3, Cooper 2, Elder 2, Risner 2, Edmiston 1.
Girls
Prairie Grove 63, Greenland 38
Prairie Grove used a strong third-quarter shooting effort to snap a two-game losing streak Friday night against the Lady Pirates.
The Lady Tigers (4-6) sunk 10 of 13 shots in a 25-point third quarter to pull away from Greenland, who trailed 29-22 at halftime. Four players finished in double figures for Prairie Grove, led by 14 points each from Lexie Madewell and Emily Grant.
Larisha Crawford scored eight of her 13 points in the third as well, and Sarah James Stone scored eight of her 12 in the first half.
Fiona Wilson finished with a game-high 21 points in a loss for Greenland. She added nine of the Lady Pirates' 10 first-quarter points and 8 of 13 in the third quarter. A pair of three-point plays early in the second half kept coach Alan Barton's club within striking distance, but Prairie Grove's four triples were too much to overcome.
Sports on 12/16/2017