Buzzer-beaters set championship game
BAPTIST PREP 42, RIVERVIEW 40
BROOKLAND — One buzzer-beater wasn’t enough Saturday at Bearcat Arena.
Almost six hours after Jonesboro Westside’s Avery Felts hit a game-ending shot for his team in the first Class 4A boys semifinal game, Baptist Prep’s Issac McBride provided another in the second semifinal.
The junior guard knocked down a three-pointer from the left wing as time expired to put the Eagles in their third consecutive Class 4A state championship game, stunning Riverview 42-40 on Saturday night.
“It’s good to have Issac McBride on your team,” Baptist Prep Coach Brian Ross said. “He bailed us out. That kid has the heart of a champion. It’s unbelievable how competitive he is and how much he wants to win. I’d hate to be on the other team trying to beat him.”
McBride and Baptist Prep will face Felts and Jonesboro Westside in the Class 4A state championship game in Hot Springs.
The Raiders had a 40-39 lead with 8.8 seconds left once senior guard J.T. Smith made two free throws.
Riverview fouled twice in the next 4.9 seconds, then Ross called a timeout with 3.7 seconds remaining and his team trailing by one point.
Senior guard Karson Kauffman passed the ball inbounds to senior forward James Renshaw, who found McBride. McBride shot over Riverview senior guard AJ Jiles, and once he made it, Eagles players stormed the court to celebrate with him.
McBride finished with 18 points to lead the Eagles (296), but no points were bigger for his team than the final three.
“I had the confidence to take that shot,” McBride said. “I was 0 for 3 in the game from three, but they lost me. My mindset is — it’s not an arrogance — if you leave me open, I’m going to make you pay. I don’t care how deep it is.”
Riverview Coach T.J. Coleman, whose team overcame a 38-30 deficit with 3:30 left to grab the lead, said he expected Baptist Prep to get the ball in McBride’s hands, but he hoped his team could hold on.
“Heartbreak. Just heartbreak,” Coleman said. “We had two hands in his face. The kid’s a player. He knocked down a heck of a shot.”
Javion Collins scored 10 points for Baptist Prep, which led 19-17 at halftime but was tied with Riverview at 30-30 after three quarters.
Smith led the Raiders (2610) with 10 points.
JONESBORO WESTSIDE 59, SOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE 57
Avery Felts’ finger-roll layup as time expired gave Jonesboro Westside a victory over Southside Batesville in front of a crowd of more than 2,500 Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Arena.
Felts’ layup capped his 34-point day for the Warriors (26-6).
“We wanted to get the last shot,” Felts said. “Everything happened exactly as we were hoping. We got the switch that we wanted. The lane opened up. It was crazy.”
The game was tied at 57-57 with 26.5 seconds left when Jonesboro Westside Coach Mark Whitmire called timeout to draw up a final play. It was designed to get the ball in No. 10’s hands.
Felts drove left past two Southside Batesville defenders, and the ball went off his right hand into the basket for the game-winner.
“What a shot,” Whitmire said. “17 years old and you’ve got to make that shot to send your team to the state championship? Nerves of steel. That was a great shot.”
Junior guard Grant Patterson led the Southerners (29-6) with 20 points. Junior forward Alex Brogdon had 17 points and hit a half-court shot at the end of the first quarter that gave Southside Batesville a 24-14 lead. Tom Milholjcic added 15 points.