Bentonville breaks Mustang in opener

BENTONVILLE 84, MUSTANG (OKLA.) 79

BENTONVILLE — Tyler Robinson hit two free throws with 7 seconds left, and Bentonville’s boys opened their basketball season with a close 84-79 victory Saturday night over defending Oklahoma Class 5A state champion Mustang in Tiger Arena.

The Tigers (1-0) led by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, but held off a pair of game-tying opportunities over the final 8 minutes. The last one came after Chandler Garrett’s three-point play pulled the Broncos within 82-79, and Mustang got another chance after a wild scramble led to a jump ball with 11.4 seconds remaining.

Mustang had the ball back with 11.4 seconds remaining after a jump ball, but a game-tying 3-point attempt hit nothing but air. Robinson grabbed the rebound after the bounce and was fouled, then calmly sank both free throws to seal with win.

Bentonville never trailed after Robinson’s free throw with 1 minute, 37 seconds left in the first quarter put the Tigers ahead 14-13. It was part of a 9-0 scoring spurt that ended with a pair of Malik Monk 3-pointers that gave Bentonville a 19-14 cushion.

The Tigers took their first double-digit lead when Jordan Hemphill’s bucket made it 3928 just before halftime, then their biggest lead came when Chip Pratt’s bucket made the score 54-40 with 3:20 left in the third quarter. Mustang, however, trimmed that down to a 57-53 margin to end the third quarter, then Curtis Haywood’s putback to start the fourth quarter made it a two-point game.

Bentonville quickly pushed its lead back to a 66-58 margin on two Hemphill free throws at the 5:11 mark and had an 8274 lead when Monk hit a free throw with 25.4 seconds left. Mustang responded with a 3-pointer by Jakolby Long with 18.7 seconds left, then added Garrett’s three-point play a second later.

Monk finished the season with 46 points, four off his record performance last year, and was the only Bentonville player in double figures. Long had 34 points and Haywood 16 for Mustang, which opened its season after going unbeaten in its state championship run last year.

Putnam City (Okla.) West 71, Little Rock Mills 62

Gerren Jackson’s 3-pointer with 5:45 remaining in the third quarter snapped a 35-35 tie, and Putnam City West went on to hand Mills its first loss.

The Comets (2-1), who trailed 30-28 at halftime, used five straight points by Jeremiah Toney to tie the game before Jackson snapped the tie 11 seconds later. The Patriots (1-0) led 52-47 after three quarters, then took their biggest lead when Chris Potts’ three-point play made it 60-48 with 6:20 remaining.

Toney finished with 21 points to lead Mills, which returns to Bentonville to participate in the Crabtree Invitational, while Branton McGary and Quawn Marshall each had 10 points. Marquis Johnson also had 21 to lead four Patriots in double figures, followed by Jackson with 13, Potts with 12 and Isaac Leggins 10.

Maumelle 93, Columbia

(Mo.) Hickman 70

D.J. Johnson scored 14 of his game-high 26 points in the second quarter and helped Maumelle pull away from Columbia Hickman.

The Hornets (3-1) outscored the Kewpies 27-11 in the second quarter and turned a one-point lead into a 41-24 halftime cushion. Maumelle led by as much as 28 points when Shawn Williams’ 3-pointer made it 83-55 with 3:24 remaining.

Williams finished with 23 points, with 16 of those coming in the fourth quarter, while Tremont Robinson added 14 for Maumelle. Shaheem Hicks had 20 for Hickman, followed by Chase Thomas with 15, Grant Beasley with 12 and Aiden Rolley with 10.