Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Cardinals Place Second In Regionals
FARMINGTON TAKES ON CAMDEN FAIRVIEW AT STATE
OZARK — The Farmington boys basketball team won the secondplace trophy, bringing home their first Regional hardware since 2010 following a 52-47 loss to Morrilton in the championship game at Ozark on Saturday.
Farmington, which competed as a Class 5A school from 2014-2019, last appeared in the 4A North Regional finals on Feb. 27, 2010 when the Cardinals, then coached by Beau Thompson, defeated Huntsville, 53-45. Prior to this season, the Cardinals’ last state tournament occurred in 2011. This year Farmington takes a a No. 2 seed into the Class 4A State tournament this week at Morrilton.
Farmington coach Johnny Taylor acknowledged Morrilton has the most athletically-gifted team of any opponent the Cardinals have faced this season. Morrilton’s Joseph Pinion, a University of Arkansas commit, scored 13 points making 4-of-6 shots and contributing 4 steals, and 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and a breakaway highlight two-handed dunk. Devin Foster (13 points) and Nevin Williams (12) sparked the Devil Dogs off the bench combining for 25 points.
“We hadn’t seen a 3-2 zone all year long, but we practice against it weekly just in case we see it. Our guys did a great job of adjusting to that and getting proper spacing so we get good shots,” said Morrilton coach Keith Zackery.
Farmington led 15-7 after one quarter and by as many as 11 points when Morrilton’s tweaks to its defense began to take an effect. The Devil Dogs went on a 10-0 run cutting a 21-10 deficit to 23-20 at the half. Adam Simmons got free for a layup to break the run just before the second quarter ended.
“We’re 99% man-to-man, but we practice a zone press just in case we need to use it,” Zachery said, referring to a switch with Pinion deflecting passes and making steals.
“We put a big guy on top with two quick guys on the wings and it was a game-changer for us.”
“For us, we had things working in the first half against the man pressure. Then when they went to the 1-3-1 we were still fine, and then when they kind of did the 2-2-1 halfcourt [trapping] stuff, we didn’t do a good job and that’s on me for not putting the kids in a position to be successful to win,” said Farmington first-year coach Johnny Taylor.
Morrilton outscored Farmington 20-15 in the third quarter to take a 41-38 lead and held off Farmington down the stretch to win 52-47.
“All of our kids played extremely hard. I’m proud of them. To be in the Regional finals is a big deal. Obviously, wish we could have won the game, but I’m proud of the effort all of the guys gave,” Johnny Taylor said.
The loss sends Farmington into the Class 4A State tournament as a No. 2 seed from the North. Johnny Taylor thinks the Cardinals have a favorable first-round matchup beginning state tourney play on Wednesday, March 10 at 1 p.m. at Morrilton.
“We like our matchup in the state tournament. We’ve got Camden Fairview. Camden’s coming off backto-back losses and I think playing the one o’clock game will help us. We’ve done that two times in a row. They haven’t,” Johnny Taylor said.
Layne Taylor led the Cardinals with 18 points.