HOT SPRINGS -- Getting to the free-throw line proved to be huge for the Marion Patriots.
Detrick Reeves and Keyshawn Woods combined for 37 points, and the top-ranked Patriots connected on 21 of 29 free-throw attempts on their way to a 57-54 overtime victory over Little Rock Hall in the Class 5A boys state championship game in front of 5,271 spectators at Bank OZK Arena.
The lead changed hands four times in the overtime, finally turning in the Patriots' favor when Woods hit two free throws with 25 seconds left to give Marion a 55-54 advantage.
Marion (25-3) was 18 of 42 from the floor and missed all 7 of its three-point attempts while running a patient offense against Hall's 3-2 zone, but the Patriots more than made up for any deficiencies by hitting free throws to earn the program's first state title.
"That was big," Marion Coach David Clark said of his team's success at the line. "We didn't have shots fall, but these kids know how to play the game of basketball.
"You're not going to shoot your way into a game. If we would have tried that we probably would have lost. We had to get the ball inside and find a way to shoot free throws."
After Woods hit his free throws, Hall senior Greg Johnson -- who had 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds -- drove the ball inside the lane, but his shot was knocked away by 6-9 senior Tim Ceasar and recovered by Darrius Waterford with 6.9 seconds remaining.
Waterford made the first of two free throws to push Marion's advantage to 56-54. Johnson collected the rebound on the ensuing missed free throw, but after getting the ball past midcourt, he stepped out of bounds to effectively end the game. Reeves hit a free throw with 0.8 seconds left to cap the scoring.
"I tell you we've got nothing, I mean nothing, to hold our heads down about," said Hall Coach Jon Coleman, whose team finished 23-7 and saw its 11-game winning streak snapped. "We won a conference championship. We just came up a little short [today]. A free throw here, a rebound there, a whistle there, and we could have very easily won this game."
Reeves hit 6 of 15 shots from the floor and 5 of 6 free-throw attempts to lead all scorers with 19 points. Woods, who was selected as the MVP, was 6-of-13 shooting and hit all 6 of his free-throw attempts for 18 points. Woods also had a game-high three assists.
Hall senior forward Jarrius Sharp came off the bench to lead the Warriors with 17 points, but he was one of three Warriors to foul out. Senior Kevon Cooper, who was limited to 6 points and 5 rebounds in 23 minutes, and Montavious Dismuke, who finished with 4 points, also were charged with 5 fouls.
"With Kevon's talents, we'd much rather have him on the court than sitting beside me," Coleman said. "But at the same time, we always say that with the depth we have at the high post, we feel confident that we have players that can come in and pick up the slack."
The game featured eight lead changes, and it was tied nine times. The biggest lead for either team was five points with Hall holding a 37-32 advantage with 1:16 left in the third quarter.
Hall connected on 21 of 40 shots from the field but struggled from the line, going 10 of 18. The Warriors also struggled with turnovers, committing seven of their 14 miscues in the second quarter.
Marion took its biggest lead of the game with 41.5 seconds left in regulation when Ceasar hit the second of two free throws for a 47-43 lead. Dismuke cut Marion's lead to two with a 10-footer with 32 seconds left.
Waterford hit one of two free throws with 25.3 seconds left, but Hall tied it when Sharp completed a three-point play -- thanks to an assist from Jonathan Coleman -- with 17.1 seconds remaining.
Marion worked for a final shot, but Reeves had to settle for an off-balanced three-point attempt that banged off the backboard.
Dismuke gave Hall a 50-48 lead 59 seconds into the overtime, but Marion countered with two free throws by Reeves at the 2:56 mark, a free throw by Ceasar with 2:20 left, and a 3-footer by Reeves with 1:42 to play.
Hall cut the lead to 53-52 on a layup with 1:20 to play, and after Coleman stole the ball on Marion's next possession, he hit two free throws to give Hall a 54-53 lead.
"It was a great heavyweight bout between two great teams, two great defensive-minded teams," Clark said. "It went back-and-forth and both teams played their hearts out."
MVP
Keyshawn Woods
The senior guard was 6-of-13 shooting and knocked down all 6 of his free throws to finish with 18 points for Marion, which needed overtime to pull away from Little Rock Hall. Woods also added 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in 36 minutes. He had eight pints in the first half to help the Patriots hold a 20-18 lead at halftime.
AND ONES
Hall made its first appearance in the state championship game since 2013. ... Marion beat three other teams (Bryant, Mills, Izard County) that are playing for state championships by at least 20 points each. ... Only four of the Patriots' 25 victories came by less than 10 points. ... Five of the Warriors' seven losses came within the first month of the season. ... Hall hit three more shots in the second half than Marion did, but the Patriots hit 17 of 24 free throws after halftime while the Warriors went 8 of 11. ... Marion had one turnover total in the third and fourth quarters. Hall had four. ... Neither team had a lead larger than five points.
-- Erick Taylor
At a glance
CLASS 5A BOYS
STATE TOURNAMENT SCORES
CHAMPIONSHIP
Marion 57, Little Rock Hall 54, OT
SEMIFINALS
Little Rock Hall 43, West Memphis 38
Marion 60, Lake Hamilton 46
QUARTERFINALS
Lake Hamilton 48, Pine Bluff 45
LR Hall 73, Hot Springs 47
Marion 58, LR Parkview 48
West Memphis 63, Maumelle 51
FIRST ROUND
Hot Springs 69, Nettleton 54
Lake Hamilton 53, Jonesboro 51
LR Hall 67, Alma 53
LR Parkview 58, Greenbrier 52
Marion 60, Benton 39
Maumelle 64, Russellville 43
Pine Bluff 51, Vilonia 48
West Memphis 63, El Dorado 50
Sports on 03/08/2019