WEST FORK -- An inspired Cedarville rally ended in shipwreck with Prairie Grove surviving a lackluster 2-point third quarter and holding off the Pirates, 43-37, on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Cole Edmiston asserted himself by scoring eight of his team-high 10 points in the fourth quarter to offset a 23-point performance by Cedarville guard Lane Hightower and lead the Tigers to a six-point win and advance into the semifinals of the Duel in the Dome boys basketball tournament at West Fork.
Lane Hightower, who was scoreless in the first quarter, nailed nine field goals, including two 3-pointers and went 3-for-4 on foul shooting to compile his 23 points.
Prairie Grove started off strong by jumping out to a 16-3 first quarter lead with five different players scoring for the Tigers. Tate Benoit and Austin Henry sank 3-pointers. Benoit, Sam Kidd, Henderson and Edmiston each recorded a 2-point field goal. Henderson added a pair of free throws.
Prairie Grove drilled four 3-pointers in the second quarter, split among two by Luke Bannon off the bench along with Kidd and Henry. That barrage, coupled with Benoit's free throws, enabled the Tigers to outscore Cedarville 14-13 despite nine points from Pirate 6-feet-3 senior guard Lane Hightower in the period and maintain a 30-16 halftime lead.
Lane Hightower added a trey and went 3-of-4 at the free throw line in the third. The Pirates tacked on two free throws by sophomore Brady Hightower, slicing the Tiger lead to 32-24 at the end of the third quarter.
Lane Hightower (8 points) and Brady Hightower (2 points) combined for 10 points in the final period, helping the Pirates get 13 points to Prairie Grove's 11 in the fourth.
Prairie Grove hung tough with its perimeter defense, only giving up a single 3-pointer in the second half and none in the fourth quarter. The Tigers were also good at cutting off driving lanes to the basket and refrained from giving up cheap fouls. Cedarville only got to the free throw line four times in the fourth.
The Tigers managed to get to the foul line in the fourth. Prairie Grove went 7 for 12 but only missed the front end of a single 1-and-1. Five different Tigers went to the free throw line and all but one made at least one charity shot.
Benoit and Kidd scored seven points apiece while Henry and Bannon added 6 each to help make up for a season-low 5 points by Henderson.
Brady Hightower added six points for the Pirates.
Prairie Grove 43, Cedarville 37
Prairie Grove^16^14^2^11^--^43
Cedarville^3^13^8^13^--^37
Cedarville (0-4): Lane Hightower 9 3-4 23, Brady Hightower 2 2-2 6, Paden Knight 1 2-3 4, Hayden Morton 0 2-4 2, Bradley Blankenship 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 9-13 37.
Prairie Grove (3-2): Cole Edmiston 4 2-3 10, Tate Benoit 2 2-3 7, Sam Kidd 2 2-4 7, Eric Henderson 1 3-4 5, Austin Henry 2 0-0 6, Luke Bannon 2 0-0 6, Jace Edwards 0 2-2 2. Totals 13 11-16 43.
3-Point Goals -- Cedarville 2 (Lane Hightower). Prairie Grove 6 (Henry 2, Bannon 2, Benoit, Kidd).