MOUNTAIN HOME - Benton fought back from a 13-point, third-quarter deficit to edge Fayetteville 50-48 in overtime to win the boys championship at the 1st Arkansas Bail Bonds Tournament.

Blake Bowlin led the Panthers (8-4) with 19 points while tournament MVP Josh Bowling finished with 18.

Fayetteville led 36-23 late in in the third quarter and held a 36-28 lead into the final eight minutes. Benton pulled even at 37-37 with 4:20 left and took the lead at 40-37 on a three-pointer by Bowlin with 2:19 remaining. The Bulldogs regained the lead at 41-40 and led 43-42 when Bowlin made 1 of 2 free throws with 5.4 seconds left, sending the game into overtime.

Bowlin and Terek Beaugard hit four consecutive free throws to start the overtime as Benton grabbed a 47-43 lead. The Bulldogs scored the next five points, going up 48-47 when Jared Cozart scored in the paint with 58 seconds left.

Bowling gave the lead back to Benton when he converted two free throws with 31 seconds left, and Fayetteville missed its chance to go ahead again when Payton Willis missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 3.9 seconds left. Cason Maertens made 1 of 2 free throws with 1.3 seconds left to close out the scoring for the Panthers.

Willis led Fayetteville with 15 points, and C.J. O’Grady added 10.

Sports, Pages 23 on 12/29/2013