Bradley holds off County Line for Class 1A boys basketball state championship
HOT SPRINGS - With essentially its entire community, and plenty of supporters within the region, as part of the almost 2,500 in attendance for the 1A boys state title game Friday at Bank OZK Arena, the Bradley Bears clinched the school’s second state title defeating the County Line Indians 44-41.
“Right now, if you want to rob Bradley, it is the time to do it because the whole town is in this arena,” Bears head coach Benny Harris said with a smile. “A lot of my ex-players that played on my other championship team [in 1994] were here, and they support our program a lot. They came from Dallas, Houston, everywhere.”
Down 41-35 with 4:54 to go in the game, senior leader Colbie West hit a runner layup to cut it to a four-point deficit. Both teams went on a scoring drought for the next 2:05 before Jaylan Taylor hit another layup to make it a one-possession game. West made one final play that has now become his shining moment hitting a jumper with under a minute left to tie the game at 41.
Taylor was able to steal the ball away from County Line’s Aundrae Milum on the ensuing possession and following a 30-second timeout, Bradley passed the ball along the perimeter waiting for an opportune time to take the winning shot.
Tyrese Harris received the ball and drilled a 3-pointer giving Bradley (37-5) a 44-41 lead with just three seconds left. Harris made a huge difference on the floor today as the Bears were plus seven when he was on the court and all nine of his points from long range.
However, by the time County Line (40-5) inbounded the ball there was only 1.5 seconds remaining. Indians’ head coach Joe Brunson, along with the County Line faithful, appeared to attempt to make his case to the refs that there should be more time, but it stood as is.
“Well, I will tell you I thought it should have ran out,” Harris said. “I was not going to complain because it would not do any good, but I did not think there was that much time left.”
County Line took two more timeouts with just a tic-and-a-half left on the clock. The ball was inbounded by the Indians from the sidelines on Bradley’s end of the court opposite of the Bears’ bench, but as the County Line player attempted the shot just past half court he was smothered by a Bradley defender forcing the ball to fly in the air as the buzzer sounded.
West, who averaged 25 points and 8 rebounds for the Bears this year, finished as the team’s leading scorer with 14 points and 4 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting during his final game in a Bears uniform.
The roof of Bank OZK Arena was in danger of blowing off when he tied the game at 41 that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
“To even get there [in the first place] my teammates set me up for that bucket,” West said. “We called timeout, we trusted each other, and they gave me the ball then I went to work. That is all I can have in teammates is ones who trust me and having the momentum on our side. It is the best feeling and it helped us.”
Milum shot 63% from the field and led the Indians with 16 points followed by Cooper Watson with 12.
This was Harris’ third state title all-time in his 45-year career (43 as head coach) beginning with a short stint at Foreman before coming to Bradley. In addition to the 1994 2A title, Harris guided the girls squad to a 1A state championship in 2000. Harris estimates he is close to 1,500 career wins.
