Tucker keeps trusting shot, hits game-clincher for West
CONWAY — Tucker Anderson of Bentonville West put the misses on his two previous shots behind him and converted at the key time.
Anderson drove the baseline and buried a jumper for a four-point lead with 19 seconds left and the West held on for a 68-66 win over the East in the 76th Arkansas High School Coaches Association boys All-Star basketball game at the Farris Center at the University of Central Arkansas on Saturday.
The win was just the second in the past 12 all-star games for the West, and the East still leads the series 45-31 since the first game in 1956.
The victory also kept intact a perfect record for County Line coach Joe Brunson, the West head coach who guided the Indians to the Class 1A state championship with a 45-0 mark. He insisted, though on Saturday, that’s not the case.
“1-0,” Brunson said. “We were really pleased with our guys in practice the last two days. They really competed, they shared the basketball and came out and did the same thing today.”
Greg White, an assistant for the West and head coach at Bentonville West, referred to Brunson as “Mr. 46” following the win.
The game was tight throughout with 13 lead changes and the biggest lead of the game held by the West was 15-9 in the first quarter.
The East led 27-24 after a quarter and 39-38 after three quarters to mark halftime.
At the end of the fourth quarter, the East maintained a 52-51 lead and led 56-53 in the fifth and final quarter before the West seized the lead for good with a 9-0 run.
Dardanelle’s Braden Tanner hit a three-pointer and Anderson scored off an offensive rebound for a 58-56 lead. Dawson Price of Bentonville West also scored and Walter Patton of Bergman drove for a bucket to lift the West to a 62-56 lead.
The East played catch up from there and was within 64-63 with 2:51 remaining on a three-pointer by Deion Buford-Wesson of Jonesboro.
Anderson scored inside and Buford-Wesson hit a free throw to keep the East within 66-64 with 57 seconds left.
Anderson then hit the clinching bucket as the shot clock ticked down.
“My teammates did a great job of driving and kicking,” Anderson said. “I knew there wasn’t much time on the shot clock, I caught it with three. I had missed my last couple of ones and wanted to get a good one.”
Anderson had missed consecutive three-point attempts from the top of the circle on his two previous shots.
“Next one, you can’t [reminisce] on the old ones,” Anderson said. “If you miss, you go on. Just trust your shot and trust all the work you put in.”
Anderson made the final shot of his high school career count.
“As soon as it left my hand, it felt good,” Anderson said. “We wanted it.”
Anderson, who signed to play at Central Arkansas, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player on the Bears’ home court.
“I was joking that I had home-court advantage,” Anderson said. “It just makes it all the more special to be able to play on this court. I’m excited for what the future holds.”
Anderson finished with 17 points, hitting 7 of 13 shots, including 2 three-pointers, and also grabbed 6 rebounds.
Tanner added eight points and was the Outstanding Player for the West.
Buford-Wesson, the Outstanding Player from the East, had 13 points and four rebounds. Tyler Frederick of North Little Rock had 12 points and three rebounds. DaCarter Coleman of Sylvan Hills added 10 points and five boards.