Warriors win on late shot

Justice Hill’s game-winning baseline layup with 21 seconds left lifted Little Rock Christian over visiting Maumelle 53-51 in a 6A/5A-4 Conference game on Friday.

Hill’s basket finished off an 11-2 run by Little Rock Christian that erased a 10-point deficit in a two-minute span. The Warriors then relied on their defense that forced Maumelle (11-8, 2-4) into a turnover on its last possession.

Hill scored seven of the last nine points for Little Rock Christian (17-4, 5-0) and finished with 21 points. Mykal Moore’s steal and layup just before the buzzer sealed the Warriors’ victory

“We kept fighting,” Little Rock Christian Coach Clarence Finley said. “I thought we were taking the ball to the basket and just not finishing, but we finally started finishing strong. We made some big buckets there at the end.”

Finley credited a defensive switch to a 2-3 zone midway through the fourth period that erased Maumelle’s 48-38 lead.

“We went to a zone for a little bit, then we mixed it up because they were beating us off the dribble,” Finley said. “This is a big win for us, because we are going on the road next week against Hall and Parkview and this keeps us in it.”

Brahm Harris finished with 21 points for Maumelle, while Tre Flowers added 11.

Maumelle opened the game with the first five points on scores by Tyric Robinson and Harris.

After Courtney Lawrence hit a jumper for Maumelle, Little Rock Christian came back to take a 10-7 lead on baskets by Will Strickland, Chris Hightower and Cortez Finley.

Little Rock Christian expanded its lead to 17-8 on an offensive putback by Hightower.

Byron Wade made two free throws and Flowers scored for Maumelle. Flowers added a three-pointer and Lawrence hit two free throws to cut Little Rock Christian’s lead to 21-18 by halftime.