The Batesville Lady Pioneers and Pioneers tipped off a three-game homestand and completed the first cycle through of 5A East conference play Friday as they hosted the West Memphis Lady Blue Devils and Blue Devils at Pioneer Gymnasium.
In the opener, both girls teams would light up the scoreboard earlier as 34 points would be scored between the two teams in the first quarter alone and West Memphis would hold a two-point lead into the first break.
The pace would continue in the second for the Lady Blue Devils and slightly slow for the Lady Pioneers as West Memphis would extend their lead to 36 to 29 at the half. The Lady Blue Devils would clamp down defensively on Batesville in the second half holding them to just 20 points in the final two quarters while continuing their offensive barrage and defeating the Lady Pioneers by a final of 79 to 49.
Leading the Pioneers in scoring were four Seniors in double digits with Emily Harrison topping the group with eleven. Zharia Childress, Olivia Everetts, and Taylor Rush would each account for ten. Junior Abby Hurley would account for five points, senior Anna Clair Ezell would tip in two, and senior Gabby Dockins would add a point as well.
In the nightcap, points would be at a premium as neither team saw many baskets fall throughout the ballgame, but a tight and heavily contested game was still prevalent. The Pioneers would swap the lead with the Blue Devils several times in the first quarter after posting the first basket and would hang with West Memphis trailing 13 to 10 at the first break.
In the second, the Pioneers would outscore the Blue Devils by one to trail by just two at halftime. In an almost exact repeat of the girls game, the Blue Devils would clamp down defensively and hold the Pioneers to just 21 second-half points and pull away to defeat the Pioneers by a final of 56 to 44.
Leading the Pioneers in scoring were three seniors in double digits as Wes Lange would account for four three-pointers and lead the team with 18 points. JT Morgan would add 11 for the orange and black, Logan McSpadden just a point back with 19 on the game, and juniors Cory Cothrine and Jeremiah Strickland would account for three and two respectively.
Both teams will now get a couple of extra days of rest as they prepare for the second cycle of conference matchups set to start Friday in hosting the defending state champion Jonesboro Hurricane.
Senior girls action will tip off around 6 p.m. with the senior boys to follow and can be heard on 93 KZLE, online at WhiteRiverNow.com, and on the White River Now mobile app.
Article by Wes Gwaltney, The Voice of Pioneer Basketball on 93 KZLE
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