Bishop Ireton of Alexandria, Va., pulled away in the fourth quarter Saturday night to clinch a spot opposite Springdale in Monday night’s King Cotton Holiday Classic championship game.
The Cardinals defeated Bryant 68-57 in one of the day’s more competitive games at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. Bryant led 47-46 entering the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals outscored the Hornets 22-10 in the final quarter.
Junior Jake Bahr scored two quick buckets to put the Cardinals (9-1) ahead 52-51, and Ireton led the rest of the game. Bryant (9-6) cut its deficit to 1 with a shot by Bryant junior R.J. Young before Ireton junior Ripp Kodi answered with a 3-pointer. The Hornets didn’t get that close again.
The final score was Ireton’s largest lead of the game. Bryant’s 10 points in the fourth was its fewest of any quarter.
Ireton junior Silas Devonish led the Cardinals with 21 points after shooting 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Kodi added 13.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Young scored a game-high 25 points with 7 rebounds to lead Bryant. Camarion Bead followed with 13 points.
Both teams got off to a hot-shooting start. Bryant led 25-24 after a first quarter in which it shot 57.1% from the field. Ireton shot 56.3% in the first.
The teams couldn’t keep up the high-scoring pace the rest of the game, but it remained tight throughout with 11 lead changes.
Bryant will face Bellaire, Texas, in the third-place game Monday night at 5:30 p.m., with the championship game between Bishop Ireton and Springdale to follow at 7 p.m.
Springdale 61, Bellaire 47
Springdale (10-3) cruised past Bellaire, Texas, 61-47 to book its spot in the King Cotton championship game.
The Bulldogs led 19-11 after the first quarter and remained mostly in control of the game from there. The Cardinals (13-7) tried to rally in the fourth quarter, using a 12-2 run to cut the deficit to 55-46, but Bellaire had too much ground to cover in the final minutes.
Springdale scored 6 of the final 7 points to put the game away.
Senior Jaxon Conley led the Bulldogs with 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. University of Arkansas commit Isaiah Sealy scored 13 points with 7 rebounds and 5 assists, while Maliq Sosa scored 13 points.
The Cardinals got the future Razorback into foul trouble, limiting Sealy to playing 18:11 of the game, but couldn’t take advantage.
Bellaire senior Shelton Henderson led all scorers with 15 points, while Anthony Andrews contributed 12 points and 6 rebounds.
The Bulldogs dominated scoring in the paint 36-16.
Isaiah Sealy (30) of Springdale, a University of Arkansas signee, banks in a shot against Jaren Brown and Anthony Andrews of Bellaire, Texas, in the first quarter of a King Cotton Holiday Classic game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
R.J. Young of Bryant dribbles past Khy Phillips of Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.) in the first half of a King Cotton Holiday Classic game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)
Maliq Sosa (3) of Springdale attacks the basket against Jaren Brown and Anthony Andrews of Bellaire, Texas, in the first quarter of a King Cotton Holiday Classic game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)