ROGERS — Waynesville, Mo., tried to make sure Rogers Heritage didn’t get a chance to win Friday’s Arvest Hoopfest semifinal in the waning seconds of overtime.
Xavier Thomas had other ideas.
The 6-foot senior buried a 17-foot jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer to lift the War Eagles to a 55-54 victory over Waynesville and into today’s championship game.
Heritage (6-2) will take on Webb City, Mo. in the finals today at 6 p.m.
Waynesville (3-2) hoped to keep the War Eagles from getting a final chance. Juwan Morgan hit one of two free throws with 6.8 seconds left in overtime to give the Tigers a one-point lead.
Since the Tigers weren’t in the bonus, they fouled Heritage with 3.7 seconds and 1.8 seconds left. However, Heritage inbounded in the frontcourt to Thomas, who took a dribble toward the basket and drained the game-winner, triggering a huge celebration on the court.
Heritage coach Tom Olsen said he knew Waynesville would try to milk the final seconds by fouling, but the War Eagles did well advancing the ball. Then, Thomas just came up with the play of the game.
“We were lucky to move the ball further up the floor, then Xavier just makes an outstanding one-on-one play,” Olsen said. “You could just see the comfort level in his eyes when he was getting ready to shoot the ball.”
Thomas and Hayden Greenway led Heritage with 13 points apiece, while 6-4 senior Jacob Robbins added 12.
Robbins had a chance to give Heritage the lead late in regulation, but made only one of two free throws with five seconds left to tie the score at 51-51.
Waynesville missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the win. But Olsen said his team didn’t get down from the near miss.
“That’s the way this group is, they never get too high or too low,” Olsen said. “Jake Robbins had an outstanding game. He was really the difference.”
Morgan led all scorers with 16 points for Waynesville, but 12 of those came in the second half as the 6-6 sophomore sat on the bench much of the first half with foul trouble.
Prep Basketball
Nonconference
ROGERS HERITAGE 55, WAYNESVILLE, MO. 54
Waynesville 5 20 13 13 3 — 54
Heritage 17 12 8 14 4— 55
Waynesville (3-1) : Morgan 16, Hargrow 13, Armstrong 9, Howser 6, Newcomb 4, Johnson 4, Crabtree 2.
Rogers Heritage (5-2): Thomas 13, Greenway 13, Robbins 12, Fryauf 6, Kinnamon 6, Olsen 3, Hirsh 2.
Webb City, Mo., 58, Mount Vernon, Mo., 47
The Cardinals placed three players in double figures to pull away in the second half and earn a spot in today’s Arvest Hoopfest championship game.
Kohl Slaughter, a 6-3 senior, poured in a game-high 19 points, while point guard Phoenix Johnson scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Webb City (2-0) never trailed in the second half and Mount Vernon got no closer than six.
Chandler Myers, a 6-4 sophomore, led the Mountaineers with 16.
Schedule & Results
Arvest Hoopfest
War Eagle Arena, Rogers
Today
Game 1: Waynesville, Mo. 55, Pea Ridge 33
Game 2: Webb City, Mo. 46, Fort Smith Southside 40
Game 3: Mt. Vernon, Mo. 49, Rogers High 48
Game 4: Rogers Heritage 58, Hot Springs 46
Friday
Game 5: Pea Ridge 61, Hot Springs 55
Game 6: Fort Smith Southside 32,. Rogers High 27
Game 7: Webb City, Mo. 58, Mt. Vernon, Mo. 47
Game 8: Rogers Heritage 55, Waynesville, Mo. 54
Saturday
Game 9: Hot Springs vs. Rogers High, 1:30 p.m.
Game 10: Pea Ridge vs. Fort Smith Southside, 3 p.m.
Game 11: Mt. Vernon, Mo. vs. Waynesville, Mo., 4:30 p.m.
Game 12: Webb City, Mo. vs. Rogers Heritage, 6 p.m.