PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove embodied teamwork, scoring its first 13 points all on assists en route to a runaway 60-36 Colors Day victory over Elkins Friday.
Demarkus Cooper threaded the needle twice setting up Will Pridmore's 15-footer from the wing and Anthony Johnson's 3-pointer in the corner. Johnson fed John David Elder for a short jump-shot inside the box before Cooper's bounce pass split the defense and found Pridmore open for a trifecta up top. Elder joined the assists parade by passing out of the high post to Pridmore for his second trifecta of the first. D.J. Pearson hustled and got the rebound after Johnson stole an errant Elkins pass and drove hard to the hoop. Pearson's free throws enabled Prairie Grove to close out the first quarter with a 15-3 lead.
"That's something against a zone defense," said Prairie Grove coach Steve Edmiston, obviously pleased with the teamwork. "The zone defense is sometimes hard to get a shot off against. Apparently, we did a good job of finding people. We did good inside out. It's better to work inside-out than outside-in. It seems like when we get off to a good start we're pretty solid."
Elkins made a run in the second quarter, narrowing the Tiger lead to 23-16 at halftime. Ethan Hipps and Chad Graham began hitting 3-pointers in the first 1:34 of the second period. Elder passed out of a double-team in the post to Pridmore for an easy Tiger bucket. Hipps had another 3-pointer to cut the gap to 21-16, but the Tigers held Elkins scoreless for the final 1:47 and moved the lead back to seven on Pearson's free throws. Pridmore stole a pass in the paint to rob Elkins of a last chance just before the horn sounded.
Early in the third, Caden Vaught's 3-pointer kept Elkins within 25-19, but Prairie Grove went on a 10-2 run getting six points from Elder and Johnson's old-fashioned 3-point play. Quinn McClain scored driving to the hoop after Graham rebounded his own miss, but the Elks produced no more points over the last 2:30. The third ended with Prairie Grove scoring on a broken play. In-bounding with 10 seconds left a pass was deflected. Pearson came up with the ball and hit a running 3-pointer at the buzzer that extended the Tiger advantage to 41-23.
Prairie Grove built a 20-point lead with 2:36 elapsed in the fourth quarter. Elder got the ball on the low block. He was double-teamed and didn't have a shot, yet found Pridmore cutting down the middle of the lane for an easy lay-in.
Pearson played with grace using body control to avoid a charge while banking in a shot. Elder took a pass over the top and made a reverse layup. He added a free throw for a 3-point play. Cooper, who earlier finished a strong, agile drive with a layup, again got a step. This time he stopped in the key and dished to Johnson for a layup.
Reserves played the final two minutes. Riley Rhodes hit a 3-pointer and Graham Guenther made 3-of-4 free throws as the Tigers raced to a 60-36 win. Eight different Tigers scored in the fourth.
Elkins played without Layne Evans, whom coach Jared Porter said was on a football visit.
"They (Prairie Grove) are a lot better than when we beat them at home (45-38 in December)," Porter said.
Prairie Grove 60, Elkins 36
Elkins^3^13^7^13--^36
Prairie Grove^15^8^18^19^--^60
Elkins (6-0): Chad Graham 4 6-6 15, Ethan Hipps 3 0-0 8, Brandon Paxton 1 1-2 3, Caden Vaught 1 0-0 3, Westin Wheeler 1 0-0 3, Quinn McClain 1 0-0 2, Osiris Nicholson 1 0-0 2. Totals 12 7-8 36.
Prairie Grove (1-4): Will Pridmore 8 0-0 19, John David Elder 5 1-1 11, D.J. Pearson 2 6-8 11, Anthony Johnson 3 1-1 8, Riley Rhodes 1 0-0 3, Demarkus Cooper 1 1-2 3, Braden Risner 1 1-2 3, Graham Guenther 0 3-4 3. Totals 21 12-16 60.
3-Point Goals -- Prairie Grove 6 (Pridmore 3, Johnson, Pearson, Rhodes), Elkins 5 (Hipps 2, Graham, Vaught, Wheeler).
Sports on 01/17/2018