Bryant knocks off No. 1 Little Rock Central to push win streak to 18 games

The SBLive Arkansas Top 25 will have a new No. 1 next week

After just two weeks, SBLive's Arkansas boys basketball rankings will have a new No. 1 team. 

Little Rock Central debuted as the No. 1 but a red-hot Bryant squad upended the Tigers on Tuesday night, 47-44, on their home court. 

Bryant raced to an early 17-6 lead and held a commanding 34-17 advantage at halftime. Central climbed back in the game by outscoring the Hornets 16-7 in the third quarter. 

Trailing 41-33 to start the fourth, Central star Annor Boateng, a University of Missouri signee, continued the momentum with a big dunk that energized the Tigers crowd and narrowed the lead to six. His layup with under a minute to play cut the lead to 46-44, but Bryant forced a turnover late and Cameron Bead made one of two free throws to give BHS the 47-44 win. 

Arkansas high school boys basketball Top 25 rankings (1/9/2024)

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Boateng led all scorers with 17 points. Bryant sophomore R.J. Young scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half.

As for who will be No. 1 next week, No. 2 Fayetteville and No. 3 Springdale Har-Ber both won their 6A-West Conference games Tuesday night and will play again Friday. Bryant hosts Little Rock Southwest on Friday looking to extend its streak to 19 games.

--Nate Olson I @ndosports