Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
LR Central returns to title game
CLASS 6A
LR CENTRAL 57, BENTONVILLE 50
FAYETTEVILLE — It was four months ago when Little Rock Central defeated Bentonville boys, but that happened in a benefit game and didn’t count in the standings.
Saturday’s rematch was nothing like that matchup in November, and this time Central earned another trip to the Class 6A boys state tournament championship game.
Corey Camper drove into the lane and hit a floater with 43 seconds left to seal Central’s 57-50 victory over Bentonville in Saturday’s first semifinal in Bulldog Arena.
“We wanted to spread them out,” said Central Coach Brian Ross, whose team beat Bentonville 64-48 in the November scrimmage. “I told them either Bryson [Warren] or [Camper] is going to take it to the rim. We trust both of those guys are going to make a great decision, and [Camper] did. He got a tough shot, but he hit it.
“We really hope the championship game doesn’t get canceled this time and the kids get to experience playing in it.”
Central made the Class 6A championship game last season, but it was called off because of the coronavirus pandemic. Conway and Central were declared co-champions.
After seven lead changes in the first 12 minutes Saturday, Central (23-4) never trailed after Kyler Hudson’s bucket began a 9-3 spurt to give his team a 24-19 halftime cushion. Central started the second half with a 12-2 run and owned its biggest lead when Hudson Likens’ three-pointer made it 36-21 with 4:44 remaining in the third quarter.
It was 53-41 Central midway through the fourth quarter when Ross wanted his players to slow things down and take some time off the clock. Bentonville (23-4) made things interesting with nine unanswered points to close the gap to 53-50 after Jaylen Lee hit two free throws with 1:16 on the clock.
Central again slowed things down before Camper hit his bucket to make it a five-point game. Hudson then closed out the scoring on two free throws with 18.6 seconds after Bentonville suffered a back-court violation.
“When you play a great team like Bentonville, they’re not going to give up,” Ross said. “We did try to run some clock, and maybe that took us out of our rhythm a little bit. They got it down to three, but Camper got a big bucket and our defense got a stop. That’s all we needed.”
Warren had 24 points to lead Central while Camper scored 12 of his 14 in the second half. Lee was the only Bentonville player in double figures with 21 points, while Thane Spencer and Caden Miller added nine apiece.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK 87, FS NORTHSIDE 63
Kel’el Ware provided the thunder in the second semifinal, while DJ Smith and Charles Maris gave North Little Rock a lot of lightning, too.
That trio combined for 66 points as the Charging Wildcats stormed into the Class 6A state championship game in impressive fashion with its third win over Northside this season.
“With Kel’el’s presence on both ends of the floor and in the paint, DJ has been doing that,” North Little Rock coach Johnny Rice said. “He’s been averaging 20 a game. He’s had about a good a senior year as anybody I’ve had. And Charles Maris has been hitting shots this season — maybe not as good as in this game.
“They can’t concentrate on Kel’el so much because they will leave somebody open, and we have guys making shots. It’s really hard to guard.”
Ware, the 7-footer, started things off with a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 28 points to pace the Charging Wildcats (20-2). His third shot from beyond the arc snapped an 11-11 tie and gave North Little Rock the lead for good, and he finished his night with backto-back dunks early in the fourth quarter.
Smith added 10 in the first half and finished with 25, getting a lot of points as he drove in the lane and hit layup after layup or free throws when he was fouled. Marts, meanwhile, hit five 3-pointers and finished with 15.
The Charging Wildcats, who are making their sixth finals appearance in nine years under Rice but the first since they won the state title in 2018, picked up five straight points from Kareame Cotton for a 24-14 lead to end the first quarter. The cushion never dropped below double digits again as North Little Rock eventually lead as much as 27 points late in the fourth quarter.
“I was wondering if they could replicate what they did (Friday) night with the intensity and all that,” Rice said. “And we did it. So we’re going to enjoy this one for the ride home, then get back to work and get ready for Hot Springs.
“It’s nice to go back to Hot Springs. I like it there.”
Dae’Marion Savoy had 14 points for Northside (14-12), which held its own in two regular-season games against North Little Rock with losses of four and nine points. Jacob Joe was the only other Grizzly in double figures with 11.