Arkansas high school boys basketball state tournament recap: CAC wins first state title (3/7/2024)

Mustangs run wild in fourth quarter to knock off Bergman

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