Goblins earn share of title, No. 1 seed

HARRISON —Kason Hilligoss had a senior night to remember on Friday.

Hilligoss made eight three- pointers and scored 30 points to lead Harrison to a a share of the 5A-West Conference championship and the league’s No. 1 seed with a 70- 55 victory over Siloam Springs in front of a big crowd inside Goblin Arena.

“I mean there was a lot of people — senior night,” said Hilligoss, a 6-2 senior. “My last game in here. I felt like I had to do good and I did it.”

Harrison ( 20- 9, 10- 4 5A-West) came into the night trailing Siloam Springs (1810, 10- 4) by one game and needing to beat the Panthers by four or more to tie for the league title and earn the No. 1 seed.

The Goblins got out to quick 9- 0 lead to start the game, led by Blake Shrum who scored the first six points and Hilligoss’ first three-pointer.

Hilligoss then hit three more three-pointers in the first quarter for a total of four in the quarter as Harrison led 18-11 after one.

Siloam Springs pulled within 22-19 after a Jaxson Spence three-pointer in the second quarter, but Harrison finished the first half on a 12-2 run to go up 34-21 at halftime.

Hilligoss hit two more threes right before half, giving him six three-pointers in the first half.

“He’s got a very quick release,” Harrison Coach David Stahler said of Hilligoss. “He shoots the ball well. Our guys do a good job of finding him when he’s shooting the ball well.”

Harrison pulled ahead by 20 points in the third quarter, but Siloam Springs cut the lead to 49-39 entering the fourth.

Harrison went back up by 14 to start the fourth after a three-pointer from freshman Ryder Scribner, but the Panthers went on a 7-0 run to get within 54-47.

Scribner hit another three and Hilligoss added a pair of baskets late as the Goblins got the lead back up to double digits.

“I thought we made three really good runs, and unfortunately each run they answered and came right back and we kind of stumbled in that moment,” said Siloam Springs Coach Tim Stewart. “And give Harrison a lot of credit. It was a great atmosphere. They were fired up. It had a state tournament like feel to it. It really did.”

Shrum finished with 17 points for Harrison, while Scribner had 12.

Spence led Siloam Springs with 16 points, while Nathan Hawbaker scored all 13 of his points in the second half. Nate Vachon added 12 points for the Panthers, while Dalton Newman had 8.