Zebras prevail, earn trip to 5A title game
The road to Hot Springs has been paved, and it is scenic.
Pine Bluff High School set a tempo Greene County Tech couldn’t keep up with, and the Zebras earned a trip to the 5A boys basketball state championship game in the Spa City with a 62-36 win over the Eagles on Saturday at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Pine Bluff (24-7) will take on either 5A-South Conference rival Lake Hamilton or Harrison at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Bank OZK Arena.
“This means a lot. We knew at the beginning of my senior year when we came in that this is what we came in to do,” said Pine Bluff’s X’Zaevion Barnett, who finished with 18 points. “Everybody knew we were one of the best teams in the state. So far, we’ve lived up to that. I’m proud of these boys.”
Courtney Crutchfield was the Zebras’ spark plug as usual, scoring 10 of his game-high 22 points in the first quarter. Crutchfield also finished with 9 rebounds.
Barnett threw another wrench in GCT’s plans as he scored 11 of his 18 points in the second quarter. Barnett made three 3-point baskets and added 6 rebounds and 6 assists.
“They look for Crutch to score the ball most of the time, but my job most of the time is to facilitate,” Barnett said. “So, I’ve just got to show people that he ain’t the only one that can score the ball. We have a team full of guys that can do it, whenever they want to. So, it’s just a will and want-to, and we did that. We’ve got to show up Thursday in Hot Springs and do it again.”
The Zebras are one win away from adding a 14th state championship trophy to their case, and first since 2015, when Billy Dixon had just joined Pine Bluff as an assistant coach. The last time Pine Bluff played in a title game was 2016, the season after Dixon was elevated to head coach.
But getting there this time
was no monkey off of Dixon’s back.
“I don’t allow that pressure to come to me,” he said. “We’re going to work hard. We’re going to give it our all, and wherever we finish, that’s where we finish. But I’ve never been pressured that I have to do a certain thing or get to a certain point. It means more to me and my team where we finish and how we finish than any other outside pressure that I have to deal with. I certainly haven’t had that inside pressure from administration, so I’m good.”
A Saturday afternoon game didn’t bring a sold-out crowd to the Convention Center, but Zebra fans used to the McFadden Gymnasium mystique took advantage to see their second-ranked 5A team take command with leads of 15-8 after one quarter and 33-24 at halftime. GCT (24-9) led twice, 3-2 and 6-5, scoring its first two field goals on 3-pointers.
Barnett made all 3 of his treys in the second quarter, as the Eagles could only pull within 28-23 with 2:32 left.
“Zae’s a little relaxed, but he’s going to show up when it’s time to show up,” Crutchfield said. “Shout out to him. Shout out to my team for holding it down all season long, and we’re ready to take over and bring it back home.”
Dixon told Barnett, a combo guard, about 6 weeks ago the Zebras go as he goes. While the senior isn’t as flashy a scorer as junior Crutchfield, Barnett has the propensity to step up on offense in key parts of the game.
“If you watch what happened lately, that is what you see,” Dixon said. “We push [Braylen] Hall to the 2 [shooting guard], and [Barnett] makes it happen. He’s locked, and he’s making it happen for us.”
Greene County Tech was the third seed out of the 5A-East Conference that soared into the semifinals after beating 5A-West runner-up Siloam Springs and 5A-Central champion Maumelle, but the Eagles were held to 10-for-38 (26.3%) shooting from the floor, including a 2-for-18 second half. They converted 5 of 21 3-point attempts and 11 of 15 free throws.
Pine Bluff went 22 for 57 (38.6%), including 5 for 20 from the perimeter, and made 13 of 23 free throws.
Benji Goodman led GCT with 10 points, while Tyler Vincent added 8 points.
5A GIRLS: VILONIA 51, MARION 47, OT
Sidni Middleton and Kinley Mears came to the rescue in the final 12.6 seconds, and Vilonia (28-4) punched its ticket to the championship game after an overtime battle with Marion (14-15).
Middleton made 2 free throws after being fouled on a drive to the basket to give the Lady Eagles a 49-47 lead. Marion worked the ball to one of its leading scorers, Kiera Neal, who was forced into an off-balance floater that clinked off the rim and was rebounded by Mears with 0.3 second left. Mears made the 2 insurance free throws.
Middleton and Mears each scored 15 points, with Middleton adding 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Taylor Little, Aaliyah Taylor and Neal each scored 12 for the Lady Patriots, with Neal pulling down 13 rebounds (7 offensive).
The game was tied at 4141 at the end of regulation.
Vilonia will play either Greenwood or West Memphis at 6 p.m. Thursday at Bank OZK Arena.
3A BOYS: MANILA 56, DUMAS 47
In Lamar, Dumas’ run for a second straight state championship appearance fell short against the Lions.
Manila (30-5) will take on either Bergman or Rivercrest, which played in a later semifinal Saturday. Rivercrest defeated Lake Village Lakeside 61-54 on Friday.
Dumas finished its season 29-8.