Class 4A champs toppled
FARMINGTON 76, BATESVILLE 64
FARMINGTON — There will be a new girls state champion in Class 4A.
Farmington blitzed Batesville with eight three-pointers and held on to defeat the defending state champions 76-64 Saturday in the semifinals of the Class 4A girls state tournament at Cardinal Arena. The result was a reversal from last season when Batesville eliminated Farmington in the quarterfinals.
Farmington (32-3) will play unbeaten Star City in the championship game at 6 p.m. Friday at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs.
Trinity Johnson scored 20 points and provided an early spark for Farmington with three of her four three-pointers in the first half.
“She played at a really high level,” Farmington Coach Brad Johnson said of his daughter, a junior guard. “I could tell [Saturday] morning getting ready for our walk-through she was shooting it well. It was good to hit some shots early, and it gave our crowd some energy.”
Makenna Vanzant scored 20 points after making 9 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter, and Torie Kersey complemented Farmington’s outside shooting with 19 points inside.
Isabella Higginbottom poured in 39 points after scoring 30 in Batesville’s 6544 victory over Pea Ridge on Thursday.
Champions typically don’t go down easily, and Batesville (30-3) climbed to within four points twice in the second half after trailing 38-25 at halftime. But Audrey Culpepper opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer for Farmington to push the lead to 50-41.
Batesville cut the lead to 52-47 before Carson Dillard answered with a three-pointer to give Farmington a 10-point lead, 57-47, with just under three minutes to play.
“Great teams are going to go on a run,” Johnson said. “They’re defending champions, and you know they’re going to fight. I thought our kids did a great job of staying calm and making plays when they had to.”
Farmington received offensive help from Johnson and Kersey after Vanzant scored 22 points in Thursday’s victory over Pocahontas. The Lady Cardinals also received big baskets from Culpepper and Dillard, who made three-pointers in the second and fourth quarters.
STAR CITY 55, PULASKI ACADEMY 53
The Lady Bulldogs kept their record spotless, but it wasn’t easy vs. Pulaski Academy.
Star City (32-0) had three players score in double figures to advance to the state title game.
Pulaski Academy (28-4) trailed 54-52 with 18 seconds left when Isis Woods was fouled. She hit the first free throw but missed the second, and Star City held on.
The Lady Bruins used an 8-2 run in the third quarter to erase a 34-30 halftime deficit. Woods later drained a three-pointer from the top of the key for a 43-40 lead.
Star City guard Janiya Johnson scored 14 of her 18 points in the first half but had to sit out with foul trouble to start the fourth quarter.
Pulaski Academy’s trapping full-court press caused the Lady Bulldogs problems, especially when Johnson was forced to the sideline. She returned with 4:45 left and her team trailing 50-48.
Breanna Grayson was a force inside for the Lady Bulldogs, finishing with 19 points. Arriana Johnson added 10.
Jazmene McMillan scored 10 points for Pulaski Academy.