Both teams going to Danville
The Highlanders and Lady Highlanders basketball teams both finished first in conference, and both entered the district tournament last week as top seeds. The boys won both their games in the tournament, but the girls lost a last-minute heartbreaker in their opener and had to settle for third place.
The boys dispatched Cotter 50-39 last Tuesday, and followed up with a 32-20 victory over Yellville-Summit for the championship. Against Cotter, Coach Brian Rambo said his team anticipated the same zone defense the Panthers had employed in two regular-season games.
Instead, Cotter came out in a soft man-to-man that put the Highlanders off their game. Eureka Springs trailed by four at the half, but regrouped and played like the top seed in the second half. The lead changed hands throughout the third quarter, and a Griffin Taylor three gave Eureka a 37-33 lead after three quarters.
Garrett Cross had his usual big game, and Rambo said freshman Matt Lester had a “tremendous” game. “He was a maniac on defense, just an amazing presence for a ninth-grader,” the coach said.
Both teams came out tight in the championship game Friday night. Yellville crept to a 6-4 lead after a quarter, and they still held on to an 11-10 lead after a sluggish first half. Cross hit a couple of shots on the baseline, and the Highlanders took a 14-11 lead, but Eureka Springs still had only a one-point lead after three quarters. Yellville’s center didn’t score until late, and he fouled out of the game. “It was the strangest championship game I’ve ever seen,” Rambo said.
The victory extended the Highlanders’ win streak to 16, and 30 wins overall. They were scheduled to play Danville Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in the regional tournament in Danville.
The Lady Highlanders stumbled in their opener against Flippin. “The pressure of the moment was too much for us,” said Coach Ryan Sanchez. Although they did not play their usual game, Eureka Springs still held a late six-point lead. They would only score a couple of free throws down the stretch, however, and a last-minute basket gave Flippin a 43-42 win. “We did everything but finish,” Sanchez said.
Friday night, the ladies matched up against Decatur, where the score stayed close in the first quarter, but Decatur turnovers helped extend that lead quickly. Eureka Springs did not play crisply either, but they starting drawing fouls inside, and led 22-11 at halftime.
Shelby Little and Megan Holloway combined for more points than Decatur’s entire team. Sanchez liked the way the team bounced back, but would still like to see better execution. He expects team defense to make a critical difference going forward.
The victory gave the girls third in the district tournament, and they’re scheduled to play the host team in Danville Thursday at 7 p.m.