Arkansas high school boys basketball state tournament recap: CAC wins first state title (3/7/2024)
For the first time in school history, Central Arkansas Christian has a state basketball championship.
The Mustangs used a potent fourth-quarter run to put Bergman away, 57-47, in the Class 3A state championship game Thursday afternoon at Bank OZK Arena.
MVP Sam Maddox and Lane Baxter led CAC with 16 points. Joseph Beranek had 7 for the Mustangs.
Bergman junior Dylan Friend led all scorers with 24 points.
At the 4:27 mark of the fourth quarter CAC led 51-40 when Deuce Williams hit two free throws.
It appeared CAC was going to cruise, but they had more work to do thanks to Friend. He scored 12 points in a span of around three minutes, and after he made one of two free throws with 1:30 to go, Bergman only trailed by six.
However, Bergman could get no closer and with less than a minute left CAC threw the ball the length of the floor to CAC four-star quarterback Greyson Wilson who dunked the ball and essentially put the game on ice.
See past live updates below.
Final: CAC 56-47
4th Qtr: CAC 55, Bergman 47, :29
Wilson dunks on the baseball-pass fast break, and that may be it .
4th Qtr: CAC 53, Bergman 47, 1:14
Bergman got a steal and almost cut the lead to four but missed a jumper. Bergman has the ball after CAC is whistled for a foul on the rebound.
4th Qtr: CAC 53, Bergman 47, 1:23
Friend hits one of two free throws to keep Bergman alive.
4th Qtr: CAC 53, Bergman 46, 1:31
Officials whistled a technical foul on CAC but no one is sure who it is on. Bergman then adds a hoop, and it is getting interesting.
4th Qtr: CAC 53-42, 2:01
CAC not far away from its first title.
4th Qtr: CAC 51-40, 3:29
We have a time out on the floor, and the final quarter has belonged to CAC. Time is running out on the Panthers.
4th Qtr: CAC 49-38, 5:10
Maddox addas his 16th point and CAC is domnating with another Bergman turnover.
4th Qtr: CAC 47-38, 6:13
Bergman's Friend answers but CAC adds another three and has the momentum.
4th Qtr: CAC 44-36, 7:10
Baxter hits a big three to give CAC its biggest lead of the game.
End of 3rd: CAC 39-36
Bauer just misses a three at the buzzer that would've tied the game.
3rd Qtr: CAC 37-34, 46.3
Ponder gets the ball inside and draws the foul. He hits one of two free throws.
3rd Qtr: CAC 35-30, 2:15
Maddox hits a step-back three to up the lead to five. We have a timeout on the floor.
3rd Qtr: CAC 32-28, 4:55
Maddox has five points early in the second half and his triple ups the lead to four.
We are underway in the third.
Halftime: CAC 24, Bergman 21
Kaden Ponder's put back with one second left stops the bleeding for the Panthers,
2nd Qtr: CAC 24-19, 1:03
Jacob Henry's steal and layup fuels a mini run and grows the lead.
2nd Qtr: CAC 20-17, 3:32
Friend is hot and has 13 of Bergman's 17 points but Baxter hits for his seventh point to give the lead back to CAC.
2nd Qtr: Bergman 15, CAC 14, 5:14
Lane Baxlter hits a three-pointer to fuel a 5-0 run to put the Mustangs on top.
Deuce Williams is on the bench with three fouls and Wilson enters the game with two.
End of 1st: Bergman 12, CAC 10
Friend goes on his own 7-0 run and gives the Panthers the two-point lead.
1st Qtr: CAC 10-8, 2:15
Friend is fouled on a three-pointer and makes all three tosses.
1st Qtr: CAC 10-5, 2:45
Joseph Beranek only averages four points but he gets a three to push the CAC lead to five.
1st Qtr: CAC 5-3, 4:23
Bergman ties the game on a three by Jess Friend but Greyson Wilson hits two free throws after being fouled on a rebound after his missed layup.
1st Qtr: CAC 3-0, 5:31
Both teams trying to get in sync. Sam Maddox's three is the lone field goal early.
See live updates below.
We are underway.
Good afternoon. We are a few minutes away from the tip.
--Nate Olson | nate@scorebooklive.com | @ndosports
