Arkansas high school girls basketball state tournament: Gravette takes first lead with 5.4 seconds left to stun Camden Fairview

Morrilton beats Pulaski Academy to also reach semifinal round

FARMINGTON -- Gravette senior Brooke Handle sank a pair of free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining Friday night to give the Lady Lions their only lead of the game. But that proved to be enough in a 48-47 come-from-behind victory over Camden Fairview in the quarterfinals of the girls Class 4A State Tournament.

Each team missed two free throws in the final 11.7 seconds, but when Handle reached the line, she knew what was going to happen.

“I knew this wasn’t going to be our last game, that we were going to the semis,” a confident Handle said afterward. “Me and Brynn (Romine), which is our point-guard, we stay every day and just make tons of free throws. We do stuff to get in our heads, mess with each other while we’re shooting, and I think that paid off tonight.”

It looked like it might be a tough night for Gravette, when Fairview sprinted out to an 8-0 lead early in the first quarter. The Lady Cardinals led 16-7 after the first frame, and looked to be in control.

Handle and Romine combined to sink four 3-pointers in the second quarter, as the Lions cut the margin to 31-26 at the halftime break.

A putback by Fairview’s Isis Wilson, following a 3-pointers by Miciah Fusilier, extended the lead back to six, midway through the third period. But a three from Alexa Parker and a layup Keeley Elsea quickly cut the lead back to a single point, with 1:21 remaining in the game.

After Fairview’s Jordan Clary hit a running jumper in the lane to increase it back to three, a technical was called against the Cardinals with 24.6 seconds remaining. Romine calmly stepped to the line and nailed both free throws. To make it 47-46.

Gravette (26-9) had a chance to take the lead with 11.7 remaining, but was unable to convert. After quickly fouling, Fairview then couldn’t convert on its end. That’s when Handle grabbed the rebound and took off down the court, before she was fouled and sent to the line for the game-winners.

“We were really just trying to keep the girls focused on what we had to do,” Gravette Head Coach Will Pittman said. “They were tight, as you could see all night. But I thought they did a good job of continuing to play hard. I thought our effort was great all night.

“We kept challenging our girls. ‘Hey, make one more play. Make one more play.’ And there was a bunch of big plays. Rebounds at the end, being physical right there. Just big plays out of everybody, that you might not notice, they just kept fighting until the end.”

Romine tallied a game-high 18 points for the Lions, while Handle added 8. Fairview (21-9) was paced by Fusilier’s team-high 13.

Morrilton 41, Pulaski Academy 33

Senior Johnna Brockman scored 8 of her game-high 20 points in the first half Friday, as Morrilton advance to Saturday’s Class 4A state semifinals, with a 41-33 win over Pulaski Academy.

The Lady Devil Dogs (31-2) got a 3-pointer from Anamarie Hartman to help claim an 11-9 first-quarter lead. Then they held the Lady Bruins (19-8) to just two field goals in the second stanza to take a 20-15 lead at the intermission.

Freshman Randi Stewart tallied nine of her team-high 15 in the second half to help Pulaski stay in the game, but Brockman’s 12-point second half was too much for the Bruins to overcome.

Sophia Wahrmund chipped in 10 for Morrilton.

Photo by Steve Andrews 

--Steve Andrews I @SBLiveArk