SILOAM SPRINGS -- Turns out the break for the Christmas holiday was just what Prairie Grove's boys basketball team needed.
Prairie Grove's defense tied up Rogers High for most of the game Thursday as the Tigers built up a large lead in the second half in a 46-32 victory over the Mounties in the opening round of the Siloam Springs Holiday Classic inside Panther Activity Center.
Prairie Grove 46, Rogers 32
Prairie Grove^13^10^11^12^—^46
Rogers^9^7^4^12^—^32
Prairie Grove (5-7): Pridmore 19, Johnson 9, Pearson 6, Pohlman 6, Cooper 4, Elder 2
Rogers (5-6): Early 10, Lacewell 8, Whitten 5, Miller 3, Paschal 2, Uecker 2, Carter 2.
Prairie Grove advanced today's 8:30 p.m. winner's bracket semifinal against the winner of the late game between host Siloam Springs and defending tournament champion Claremore, Okla. Rogers will play at 2:30 p.m. against the loser of the late game.
Prairie Grove coach Steve Edmiston said the Tigers (5-7) got an influx of players at the start of basketball season when football ended in late November, and those players were thrust into action with several games and not much practice time. But the time off from playing seems to have helped.
"We were in a unique situation," Edmiston said. "We got those football players back and played maybe five nights in six days. I think the break helped us."
Prairie Grove took a 23-16 lead into halftime when Demarkus Cooper scored on a putback right before the end of the second quarter.
The Tigers carried that momentum into the third quarter where it outscored Rogers 11-4 and led 34-20 going into the fourth.
Prairie Grove continued that surge into the fourth quarter where it led by as many as 21 points before Edmiston pulled his starters out of the game.
"I was pleased with what we showed, especially defensively," Edmiston said. "Offensively we're still not there, but if we can play defense like that, that will always give us a chance."
Will Pridmore led Prairie Grove with 19 points, but he scored all of his scoring output in the first three quarters, including 12 in the first half. Anthony Johnson added nine points, while D.J. Pearson and Nick Pohlman each had six for the Tigers.
Rogers (5-6), meanwhile, struggled in a lot of areas, and first-year coach Lamont Frazier pointed to a lack of experience and leadership for the Mounties. Jake Early led Rogers with 10 points, while Baylor Lacewell had eight.
"Right now when things don't go our way, we don't have anyone to turn to in the locker room," Frazier said.
Preps Basketball on 12/29/2017