PINE BLUFF -- Greene County Tech's game plan was simple against Siloam Springs: take the best shot possible.
Those shots came from behind the three-point arc Wednesday night as the Golden Eagles beat the Panthers 57-41 in the first round of the 5A state basketball tournament at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Greene County Tech made 10 of 20 shots from behind the arc, making 7 of 14 in the first half as it found a weakness in the Siloam Springs 2-3 zone.
"We moved the ball. Early on, that zone stuff, you don't see that very often," Greene County Tech Coach Jeff Guiot said. "[Siloam Springs is] very good at it. They were conference co-champs, so obviously they've got a really good team. Our passing leads to good shooting. Once we start making the right passes into the right spots, our shooting came into play and we shot the ball really well."
The Golden Eagles rotate starting lineups often and on Wednesday, that meant senior Tyler Vincent was on the bench to start. Although it didn't take him long to get into a groove on offense, scoring 10 points, including two three-pointers, by halftime.
"Once I see the ball go through the hole, I usually get hot and keep scoring," Vincent said. "Luckily, my teammates got me the ball when I needed to get the ball and we pulled out the win."
Vincent finished with 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting for a season-high scoring total. He made 3-of-4 shots from behind the arc.
"Tyler is all about whatever we got to do to win," Guiot said. "A lot of kids, that would really bother them. ... But Tyler is extremely unselfish, and really bought into the team concept."
Vincent wasn't alone in hitting from deep. Benji Goodman scored 12 points with nine of those coming from behind the arc. Colton Hunt hit 3-of-3 for nine points.
"We're trying to get the best shot we can get," Guiot said. "But we got shooters. So if that three-point shot is there, then we're taking it."
Siloam Springs relied on the duo of Nate Vachon and Dalton Newman for nearly all of its scoring. The duo combined to score 33 of the Panthers' 41 points.
HARRISON 51,
VALLEY VIEW 38
The scoring of Blake Shrum (18 points) and the glass work of Owen Styles (16 rebounds, 5 offensive) led the Goblins to an opening-round win over the Blazers.
Shrum made 6 of 10 shots from the floor and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. Styles led the Goblins to a 38-27 rebound advantage.
Valley View was led by Carson Turley's 10 points. Carson Winters added six points and 12 rebounds.
Harrison held Valley View to 15 total points in the second half to separate from a 27-23 halftime score.
NETTLETON 61,
VAN BUREN 59
Nettleton was led by Derodrick Moton's 16 points, followed by Taylor Smith's 15 and Jamaree Thomas' 12.
Van Buren was led by Glavine McDonald's game-high 18 points. Connor Myers scored 11 points and Trenton Cooley had 10.