Bergman win softens ’22 sorrow

3A-1 REGION BOYS BERGMAN 50, PARIS 45

WEST FORK — The sting Bergman’s boys felt for not advancing out of the Class 3A Region 1 tournament last year can finally be put to rest.

It didn’t come easy, but the Panthers have assured themselves of a berth in next week’s Class 3A state tournament as they outlasted Paris for a 50-45 victory during Wednesday’s first-round action in the Tiger Dome.

Zion Fultz hit a basket to snap a 41-41 tie with just under 6 minutes remaining to put Bergman (34-4) ahead to stay, and the Panthers held to on advance to Friday’s 5:30 p.m. semifinal game against the winner of today’s game between Cossatot River and Valley Springs.

“What we took from last year was a super valuable life lesson, and it doesn’t just apply to sports,” said Bergman Coach Bo Martin, referring to his team’s 64-61 season-ending loss to Waldron. “It applies to life, and you have to take heartache and take shortcomings and use it that as fuel to motivate you and not feel that pain again.

“Our kids worked their tails off all spring and summer so that we wouldn’t have to feel that way again after a regional tournament game.”

Bergman scored the last seven points of the first half for a 28-21 lead, but Paris (1710) tied the game at 35-35 on Konnor Edwards’ basket with 1:23 left in the third quarter. The Eagles then erased another Panther lead in the fourth quarter when Mason Bradley’s reverse layup tied the game at 41-41 with 6:15 remaining.

Fultz then hit his go-ahead basket and Walker Patton added another score to give Bergman a 45-41 cushion with 5 minutes remaining. Paris got within two on two more occasions, but Bergman got a free throw by Dylan Friend and two more by Patton with 25 seconds remaining.

“Paris did a phenomenal job defensively,” Martin said. “They’re a really talented team, but I just felt like my kids played extremely tough on the defensive end, got stops and tough rebounds when we had a hard time getting the ball through the hole.

“I thought we had some good looks early, but Paris made us earn everything that we got. We ball just didn’t go through the hole, and that’s basketball sometimes. But they recovered and won the game on the defensive end. That takes a lot of grit.”

Patton finished with 13 points to lead Bergman, while Fultz was the only other Panther in double figures with 10.

Sam Muldrow had 13 for Paris, followed by Jesse Wells with 12.

BOONEVILLE 54, ELKINS 50

Colter Fisher hit the final two baskets and lifted Booneville, the top seed from the 3A-4 Conference, to a victory over Elkins in the late game.

Fisher broke a 50-50 deadlock on his shot with a minute left to play, then followed an Elkins miss by hitting another from the right side with 16 seconds remaining and the shot clock winding down.

The Bearcats (17-7) started the fourth quarter with a 42-37 lead, but Elkins (17-14) used a 10-2 run to take a 47-45 lead on Steven Holland’s basket with 4:11 remaining. Booneville answered with a tying score by C.J. Johnson before Jace Washburn’s three-pointer gave the Bearcats a 50-47 lead, only to have Elkins respond with a tying three-pointer by Hooland with 1:13 remaining.

Fisher finished with 19 points to lead Booneville, which plays Friday’s late game against the winner of tonight’s game between Charleston and host West Fork, while Raiden Fergusen added 13 and Washburn chipped in 10.

Trace Keller had 23 for Elkins, followed by Holland with 15.

GIRLS BERGMAN 61, HACKETT 41

Defending state champion Bergman outscored Hackett 24-7 over the last 9 1/2 minutes to pull away and advance to Friday’s semifinal round.

Maddi Holt finished the game with 29 points to lead Bergman (32-4) despite playing the entire second half with four personal fouls, while teammate Ruby Trammell had three. The Lady Panthers had a 22-7 lead when Holt picked up her third foul, and it was a 27-16 game when she was called for a charge with 1:07 before halftime.

Hackett (12-13) pulled with 27-18 before halftime, then the Lady Hornets were within 37-34 after Teonna Best’s three-pointer with 1:46 left in the third quarter. Bergman, however, closed out the third quarter with a 9-2 spurt for a 46-36 lead, then scored 13 unanswered points to put the game away.

Trammell added 16 for the Lady Panthers, who will play again at 4 p.m. Friday against the winner of today’s game between Paris and Flippin. Best had 10 of her team-high 16 points in the third quarter and was the only Lady Hornet in double figures.

COSSATOT RIVER 46, ELKINS 28

Cossatot River held Elkins to just one field goal in the second quarter, then found its offensive groove to win Wednesday’s second girls game.

The Lady Eagles (23-8), the top seed from the 3A-4 Conference, used the second quarter to turn a two-point lead into a 17-8 halftime margin. Cossatot River then pulled away by outscoring the Lady Elks 19-13 in the third quarter for a 36-21 cushion.

Hannah McLain finished with 21 points for Cossatot River, which plays again at 7 p.m. Friday against today’s winner between Booneville and Valley Springs.

Kaylen Coble had nine points for Elkins (14-14).