Pocahontas uses OT to earn third state title

Pocahontas and Pottsville’s senior girls waited until the 13th game of Championship Weekend at Bank of the Ozarks Arena. Then they played a little longer.

Completing a great week for northeast Arkansas teams in Hot Springs, Pocahontas (Randolph County) went on an 11-2 run bridging the fourth quarter and overtime for a 54-46 victory in the Class 4A final Saturday night. Other champions from the region were Jonesboro’s unbeaten boys (Class 6A) and Bay’s girls (Class 1A).

Mikayla Kirk’s two free throws with 1:02 left in regulation pulled Pocahontas even at 41, Kristen Wiseman breaking the tie with a free throw 12 seconds into overtime. Pottsville did not score again until Aspen Campbell’s three-point basket with 25 seconds left.

Ashlyn Ellis made two clinching free throws and Campbell missed from threepoint range, securing the first state title for Pocahontas since 1996 and third overall.

“It is always exciting to win any kind of championship and being able to win it … to take it to overtime, trail most of the basketball game,” said Pocahontas head coach Harlan Davis. “They battled all year long. They didn’t let anything get them down. I’m so, so proud of them.”

Ellis scored a game-high 22 points, her first half-ending three pulled the Lady Redskins within 24-19. Wiseman (13 points, 15 rebounds) and Kirk (10 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles.

Campbell led Pottsville with 14 points, three assists and three steals, and Skylar Campbell added 10 with two steals.

“I’m so proud of these girls,” said Pottsville head coach Chance Johnson. “Looking at the stats, it’s pretty much a dead heat. We make two more field goals, we make two more threes, but they kill us at the free-throw line; they made 21, and we made seven. I thought we did a great job defensively. Late in the game, we missed our assignments a few times and didn’t get the rebounds that we needed.

“You gotta give credit to Pocahontas,” Johnson said. “They did an outstanding job staying with what they were doing … and a better job defensively late in the game as well. They stepped their game up as well.” Pocahontas finished 33-3. “Everybody can say you always hope for a perfect season and stuff like that, but I think you learn a lot from those defeats,” Davis said. “Those battles, they grow us as people. As tremendous as these girls are, they are going to continue to grow and continue to be better people. They’re not just successful out here.”

2A girls

Quitman, which hosted early rounds of the state tournament, won the 2A girls title Saturday with a 45-22 rout of Hector.

Quitman scored the first 13 points, led 17-6 at halftime and by as much as 20 before Maggie Webb’s layup for Hector set the final spread. The Cleburne County Lady Bulldogs finished 33-3.

Quitman’s Reagan Rackley had a gamehigh 21 points and added 12 rebounds. Rieley Hooten had 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Hector (23-13) had six points from Paige Lee and five each from Darci Fountain and Cassidy Haley.

1A boys

Guy-Perkins dominated the second half against Shirley for a 67-57 victory in the Class

1A boys final Saturday.

The Faulkner County Thunderbirds overturned a 29-28 halftime deficit, going up by 10 before the Shirley Blue Devils pulled within

43-38 after three quarters. Guy-Perkins enjoyed a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter,

Shirley getting within six before a pair of free throws by Jahcoree Ealy and a layup by Josh Bullard in the last 12 seconds.

Ealy led all scorers with 25 points, picking up a double-double with 11 rebounds and four assists. Trey Minton added 16 points, and Bullard and Wyatt Spires each had 12. Spires also earned a double-double with 16 rebounds.

Shirley was led by Michael Fuller and Joseph Owen with 14 each. Jed Prvitt earned a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Easton Freeman added 12 points.