Last-second jumper keeps Patriots alive
For 14 seconds, No. 1-ranked Marion’s season hung in the balance.
Lyndell Buckingham solved that problem. The sophomore responded to a game-tying 3-pointer by driving into heavy traffic in the lane and knocking down the game-winning jumper with 1 second left to give the Patriots a 45-43 win over Greenbrier in Tuesday’s nightcap of the 5A state basketball tournament at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Jace Dunlap tied the game for Greenbrier (14-15) with a 3-ball that rattled home with 15 seconds left. That was after the Panthers trailed 31-24 going into the final quarter.
On the other end, the Patriots (24-7) put the ball in Buckingham’s hands, and the point man delivered. Buckingham finished with 15 points and 2 assists and lifted them to a quarterfinal game against either Lake Hamilton or Little Rock Parkview at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
The Patriots, who made 16 of 25 free throws (64%), had a chance to make it a 2-possession game, but missed 2 free throws with 25 seconds remaining. That set up the Panthers’ game-tying play.
Greenbrier led 12-11 after one quarter and 17-16 at halftime, but Marion awoke from a short-shooting spell and turned to Jalen White, who scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half.
Dunlap had 14 points and Aidan Berry scored 12 to lead Greenbrier.
HARRISON 51, VALLEY VIEW 38
On Wednesday, Blake Shrum had 11 of his game-high 18 points and Owen Styles totaled 16 rebounds to go with 5 points, leading the 5A-West champion Goblins (20-9) to a matinee win over the Blazers (10-13).
Harrison expanded a 2723 halftime lead by limiting Valley View to 1-of-7 shooting from the floor in the third quarter. Styles’ work on the glass helped Harrison establish a 38-27 rebounding advantage, although Carson Winters
pulled down 12 boards for Valley View.
Ryder Scribner added 11 points and 2 assists off the bench for the Goblins.
Carson Turley led the Blazers with 10 points and 4 assists, and Gavin Ellis scored 7 points in the loss.
GREENE COUNTY TECH 57, SILOAM SPRINGS 41
Tyler Vincent had 26 points and 8 rebounds off the bench, and the Eagles (23-8) totaled 10 3-point baskets in a 16-point victory Wednesday.
Benji Goodman scored 12 points and Landon Stuart pulled down 10 rebounds to go with 3 points for GCT. For Siloam Springs (18-11), Nate Vachon scored 17 points and Dalton Newman had 16.
GCT will take on Maumelle at 8:30 tonight.
GIRLS
SILOAM SPRINGS 40, PARAGOULD 39
Brooke Ross scored 13 points, Brooke Smith nearly had a double-double, and Siloam Springs (20-9) escaped with a narrow victory despite being outscored 15-4 in the final 8 minutes.
Smith, who had 9 points and 12 rebounds, helped preserve the win with a blocked shot in the final seconds. Siloam Springs inbounded the ball side out and managed to avoid a foul before time expired.
Mimo Jacklik added 11 points in the win. For Paragould (17-10), Dixie Williams scored 13 points and Shakira Brown added 11.
Siloam Springs will play Vilonia at 7 tonight.
MARION 46, RUSSELLVILLE 44
The Lady Patriots (12-14) survived a last-ditch comeback attempt by the Lady Cyclones (22-8) after leading 43-38 with less than a minute to go Wednesday night.
That lead quickly dwindled to 43-42 when Brenna Burk of Russellville scored off a steal with 19 seconds remaining. After a series of trading free throws, Russellville rebounded a miss, but a 3-point shot would not fall at the buzzer.
Alyse Holliman led Marion with 15 points, making 7 of 9 from the floor. Aya Johnson added 8 points in the win.
The Lady Patriots awoke from a 14-8 first-quarter deficit and will take on Sylvan Hills at 1 p.m. Friday.
Burk had 11 points for Russellville.
GREENWOOD 57, NETTLETON 49
In Wednesday’s first game, Anna Trusty chalked up 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, giving the No. 1-ranked Lady Panthers a win over the Lady Raiders.
Greenwood (27-2) led 5034 going into the final quarter but had to overcome a 2-for11 shooting clip in the fourth quarter, finishing 22 for 64 (34.4%). Nettleton (21-6) made 16 of 33 (48.5%) for the game.
Despite the loss, Nettleton outrebounded Greenwood 38-28, thanks in large part to Makenzie Williams’ 15 points to go with 11 points. She and Kyla Williams (19 points) played the entire game.
Greenwood will play Parkview or El Dorado at 7 p.m. Friday.
5A STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AT PINE BLUFF CONVENTION CENTER BOYS First round
Maumelle (Central champion) 60, Sheridan (South fourth) 51
Pine Bluff (South champion) 75, Sylvan Hills (Central fourth) 49
Marion (East champion) 45, Greenbrier (West fourth) 43
Harrison (West champion) 51, Valley View (East fourth) 38
Greene County Tech (East third) 57, Siloam Springs (West second) 41
Nettleton (East second) vs. Van Buren (West third), late Wednesday
Lake Hamilton (South second) vs. Little Rock Parkview (Central third), 2:30 p.m. today Vilonia (Central second) vs. Hot Springs (South third), 5:30 p.m. today
Quarterfinals
Maumelle vs. GCT 8:30 tonight
Pine Bluff vs. Nettleton-Van Buren winner, 2:30 p.m. Friday
Marion vs. Lake Hamilton-Parkview winner, 5:30 p.m. Friday
Harrison vs. Vilonia-Hot Springs winner, 8:30 p.m. Friday
Semifinals
Winners of first two quarterfinals, 1:30 p.m. Saturday
Winners of last two quarterfinals, 7:30 p.m. Saturday
GIRLS First round
Vilonia (Central champion) 59, Hot Springs Lakeside (South fourth) 29
Sylvan Hills (Central fourth) 53, Benton (South champion) 46
West Memphis (East champion) 57, Mountain Home (West fourth) 39
Greenwood (West champion) 57, Nettleton (East fourth) 49
Siloam Springs (West second) 40, Paragould (East third) 39
Marion (East second) 46, Russellville (West third) 44
Sheridan (South second) vs. Little Rock Christian Academy (Central third), 1 p.m. today
Little Rock Parkview (Central second) vs. El Dorado (South third), 4 p.m. today
Quarterfinals
Vilonia vs. Siloam Springs, 7 tonight Sylvan Hills vs. Marion, 1 p.m. Friday West Memphis vs. Sheridan-LRCA winner, 4 p.m. Friday
Greenwood vs. Parkview-El Dorado winner, 7 p.m. Friday
Semifinals
Winners of first two quarterfinals, noon Saturday Winners of last two quarterfinals, 6 p.m. Saturday
OTHER STATE FIRST-ROUND GAMES INVOLVING SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS TEAMS
4A BOYS at Blytheville: Brookland 60, Watson Chapel 40 4A GIRLS at Blytheville: Brookland 50, Star City 48 3A BOYS at Lamar: Dumas 76, Booneville 32 (Dumas will play Newport or Central Arkansas Christian at 8:30 tonight); Drew Central vs. Bergman, 2:30 p.m. today; Valley Springs vs. Lake Village Lakeside, 5:30 p.m. today 3A GIRLS at Lamar: McGehee 45, Cossatot River 30 (McGehee will play Melbourne or Lamar at 7 tonight) 2A BOYS at Rector: East Poinsett County 66, Fordyce 46 2A GIRLS at Rector: Fordyce 41, Rector 31 (Fordyce will play Mansfield or England at 4 p.m. Friday); Marmaduke 57, Rison 43 State finals March 9-11 at Bank OZK Arena, Hot Springs