FARMINGTON -- Free throw shooting down the stretch proved decisive on the heels of a 3-point barrage in the third quarter as Farmington pulled away from Siloam Springs, 58-52, on Dec. 1.
Farmington led 25-23 at the half then used an 11-0 run in the third quarter to outscore Siloam Springs 16-7 in the period. The Cardinals were boosted by a pair of 3-pointers in the third from Jayden Whitmore.
Coming into the week Farmington had only one game under its belt, a 65-56, road win over 7A Van Buren on Nov. 19. The Cardinals then played an NBA-like schedule beginning with a 48-33 loss on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at Huntsville. On Thursday, Nov. 29, Farmington traveled to Pottsville sustaining a 62-46 loss at the hands of the Apaches. The Cardinals lost a close game, 41-38, to Greene County Tech on Friday, Nov. 30, before taking on Siloam Springs.
Thompson felt his team solved the Panthers' 3-2 zone in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals broke through Siloam Springs' press-drawing fouls which resulted in a parade to the free throw line. The Cardinals connected on 22 of 25 free throws led by Will Pridmore, who was 12-for-12 and scored 24 points.
"We're a little like a running football team. We need to play with a lead and we need to set everything up off the post," said Farmington coach Beau Thompson, whose team played seven games in a nine day stretch. "Just like a running team needs to set everything up off the run, then run a play-action pass. I don't mind us shooting a three, but we need to shoot it inside-out."
Siloam Springs forced Farmington to play from behind in each of the first two quarters as the lead see-sawed back and forth in the first half. The Panthers took an early 10-6 lead on an old-fashioned 3-point play by Drew Vachon and Jacob Wakefield's 3-pointer.
Farmington managed to tie the game at 14-all going into the second quarter only to fall behind again, 19-14, on a basket by Murphy Perkins. Farmington rallied with an 11-4 run getting a 3-pointer by Whitmore and a 6-of-6 free throw performance by Pridmore, a feat he would replicate in the fourth.
Siloam Springs pulled within two, at 47-45, with 5:15 elapsed in the fourth using a 5-0 mini run on Karson Clement's trey and Perkins' layup off a steal. Farmington held off the Panthers by making all 7 free throw attempts in the last 2:14 of the fourth quarter.
FARMINGTON 58, SILOAM SPRINGS 52
Siloam Springs^14^9^7^22^--^52
Farmington^14^11^16^17^--^58
Siloam Springs (2-1): Jacob Wakefield 13, Karson Clement 10, Drew Vachon 7, Jordan Stewart 7, Landon Ward 6, Murphy Perkins 5, Jackson Norberg 2, Carson Wleklinski 2.
Farmington (2-3): Will Pridmore 24, Jayden Whitmore 12, Jaylen Montez 8, Danny Valenzuela 7, Tony Mayo 3, Jackson McKinley 2, Tyler Vollmer 2.
Farmington vs. Pea Ridge
Pea Ridge^4^9^8^7^--^28
Farmington^11^7^17^18^--^53
Pea Ridge (): Nick Coble 15, Mikey Mahoney 11, Hayden Holtgrewe 9, Carson Rhine 6, Kobe Rose, 5, Sheppard 3, Denver Yates 2, Wes Wales 2.
Farmington (3-2): Will Pridmore 9-13 1-2 19, Jayden Whitmore 3-5 2-2 8, Logan Landwahr 2-2 0-0 6, Jackson Mckinley 1-3 1-2 4, Danny Valenzuela 1-5 0-0 2, Jaylen Montez 1-8 0-0 2, Tony Mayo 1-1 0-0 2, Austin Shelley 0-2 0-0 0, Tyler Vollmer 0-1 0-0 0.
Sports on 01/02/2019