Waldron survives two dire situations
CLASS 3A WALDRON 73, BAPTIST PREP 66
CLINTON — Waldron kept its faint hopes alive with two last-second threepoint baskets — one to force overtime, and another to force a second overtime — then left no doubt.
Waldron outscored Baptist Prep by seven points in the second overtime to defeat the Eagles 73-66 and advance to Saturday’s Class 3A quarterfinal matchup with McGehee at Yellowjacket Arena.
Baptist Prep, the No. 2 seed from Region 3, ends its season with a 22-7 record, but the Eagles did not go down easy.
Senior guard DJ Townsend led Baptist Prep with 34 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter when the Eagles rallied from seven points down to take a three-point lead late.
“We go down, and we come right back and punch them in the mouth,” said Waldron senior Isaac Villarreal, who scored 10 of his 21 points in the overtime periods.
Gada Wagner hit a three-point basket from the top of the key with the clock ticking down to force overtime.
Wagner did the same thing in the Region 1 Tournament, forcing overtime in a game the Bulldogs won to earn the No. 3 seed.
Wagner said the Bulldogs’ confidence soared with each clutch shot.
“When we go out there, we’re 24-7,” said Wagner, who led his team with 23 points. “Our energy level was so much higher because every shot gave us a boost.”
Waldron (26-6) needed every point it could muster against Baptist Prep, with Townsend closing his career with a memorable performance, one in which he was begging for the ball in the final eight minutes.
“No. 4 can shoot it,” Villarreal said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Lights out.”
Baptist Prep stalled when Townsend starting missing a few, and the Bulldogs sensed it.
“We practice scenarios like that in practice,” Villarreal said of the Bulldogs’ confidence in those situations. “There’s no words to describe this one.”
CENT. ARK. CHRISTIAN 58, CEDARVILLE 45
It took Central Arkansas Christian a few minutes to collect its bearings Wednesday in a victory over Cedarville in the first round.
CAC Coach Matt Hall said it was perfectly understandable.
“This is the first time CAC’s been to the state tournament since 2015,” Hall said. “None of these boys have ever been here. They’ve never experienced anything like this.
“If any kid walks in here and says he’s not nervous playing in the first round of the state tournament, they’re lying. Everybody’s nervous.”
A jittery start led to a 9-4 deficit for the Mustangs, but it was 11-9 CAC at first quarter’s end, the last two coming just before the buzzer on a layup by junior guard Andrew Haughaboo.
Haughaboo finished the first half with 11 points and CAC led 24-20 at halftime.
Cedarville (16-12) was within 2726 early in the third quarter when Haughaboo and his teammates opened it up. Haughaboo scored nine of his game-high 25 points in the third quarter, all on three-point baskets.
“He can shoot the cover off it,” Hall said. “That’s not abnormal for him at all.”
Forward Steven Massey, the only other CAC player with more than 10, scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half.
CAC built its cushion in the fourth quarter, opening a 47-30 advantage after a basket by Massey at the 5:43 mark.
“I thought we did a good job of settling down and doing what we do,” Hall said.
Drawing fouls and making free throws have been an integral part of CAC’s game all season, and it certainly was in the second half as the Mustangs started pulling away.
“We try to pound it inside and be physical,” Hall said.
Cedarville committed 31 fouls, and CAC ended up making 33 of 44 at the free-throw line.
The Pirates were led by Austin Cluck (16 points) and Austin Swaim (13). Cluck scored all of his points in the second half.
CAC advances to Saturday’s 1 p.m. quarterfinal, where it is scheduled to play Harding Academy.