Senior heeds call, sparks Pine Bluff
CLASS 5A
PINE BLUFF 62, GREENE COUNTY TECH 36
PINE BLUFF — In the middle of conference play, Pine Bluff Coach Billy Dixon had a meeting with X’Zaevion Barnett. He wanted to remind his senior of not only his role on the team, but how valuable he felt that role was to what the Zebras were trying to achieve.
Barnett filled that role and then some Saturday afternoon to secure Pine Bluff a spot in the Class 5A boys state basketball tournament final with a 62-36 win over Greene County Tech at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Pine Bluff junior Courtney Crutchfield averaged 24.7 points in three games at the 5A state tournament, so teams naturally shade their defensive coverages his way with Barnett taking a secondary role.
In Barnett’s first two games at the tournament, he scored 11 total points. But against Greene County Tech (24-9), he scored 18.
“Most of the time, people look for Courtney to score the ball,” Barnett said. “Most of the time, I do the stuff that don’t show up in the stat sheet. So, I came in tonight, and I tried to do everything. Whatever it needs for us to win. And tonight, my 18 was a part of helping my team get to the finals.”
“I said, ‘Hey, man, listen to me. Crutchfield’s gonna get buckets. Jordan Harris is the glue to our team. We go as Jordan goes. But we win because of you. You’re the guy that’s gonna make it happen,’” Dixon said.
Crutchfield and Barnett scored 14 points apiece in the first half as Pine Bluff (24-7) took a 33-24 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Pine Bluff’s defense, led by Barnett, held Greene County Tech to 12 points.
“In the second half, when we need that [point guard] to be locked [down], he’s the guy that takes over for us,” Dixon said of Barnett.
Harris and Barnett are two of the six Zebras seniors that played their last game in Pine Bluff on Saturday. Barnett said that the win means more than just a trip to Hot Springs next week.
“Playing here in the city, it’s real big for Pine Bluff. I’m proud of these boys,” Barnett said. “… We [were] coming in as one of the best teams in the state, and we lived up to it and got to do it right here in the city.”
LAKE HAMILTON 65, HARRISON 58
Through three quarters, Lake Hamilton and Harrison were at a standstill. Tied 47-47, Lake Hamilton Coach Scotty Pennington took some advice from some coaching friends and switched to a 2-3 zone that ultimately stifled Harrison in the fourth quarter.
The Wolves (27-4) outscored the Goblins (22-10) 18-11 in the final quarter thanks to an 11-0 run to clinch a spot in the 5A state title game against Pine Bluff.
Ty Robinson, who received a University of Central Arkansas offer after his 38-point performance on Thursday, scored 12 points in the first quarter but went cold in the second and entered halftime at the same figure. In the second half, he added 12 more to reach 24 pints and lead all scorers.
Lake Hamilton traded blowout quarter in the first half against Harrison to head to halftime down 33-32.
Harrison was led by Blake Shrum’s 19 points, Ryder Scribner’s 18 and Kason Hilligoss’ 11.