Lions end season in heartbreaking fashion

Manila and Bald Knob battled through two grueling overtime periods before the Bulldogs finally survived, handing the Lions a crushing 57-56 defeat in the first round of the 3A Regional Basketball Tournament Wednesday night at Searcy.

The Lions, who entered the tournament as a number one seed and the champions of the 2A-3 conference, saw their hope of a deep post season run end abruptly at the hands of number four seed Bald Knob.

Manila took a 56-55 edge on a 12-foot jumper by Daley Belew with 1:16 left in the second overtime. The Bulldogs ran the clock down to 21 seconds before taking their last timeout to set up their final play of the game. Bald Knob inbounded the ball to Peyton Jones, who dribbled the clock down to inside of 10 seconds. Jones drove the baseline before passing off to teammate Matthew Arnold, who laid in the game winner with 3.6 seconds remaining, putting the Bulldogs on top, 57-56. Belew’s desperation heave as time expired bounced off the backboard, ending the Lions’ season.

Manila came out ice cold from the field in the first quarter and fell behind 8-4. Compounding the Lions' woes was Belew picking up three early fouls, forcing the All-State guard to sit out much of the first half. Manila’s shooting woes continued in the second stanza as the Bulldogs built a 19-10 lead, thanks to three consecutive treys, one by Jones and two from Stetson Smithson.

The Lions battled back late in the half, getting a three pointer from Austin Harmon and a baseline jumper by Brayden Nunnally, slicing the Bald Knob advantage to 21-15 at intermission.

Smithson’s triple sparked an 8-2 Bulldog run to begin the third quarter, pushing the Bald Knob lead to 29-17 at the 5:19 mark. It was at that point the Lions switched to a box and one on Smithson, who had burned Manila for 16 points. The defensive move seemed to spark the Lion offense. Belew drained back to back treys, followed by an inside bucket from Nunnally. Ty Wagner drilled a three and suddenly the Lions were within four points, 32-28. Nunnally knocked down a baseline jumper to end the third quarter, pulling Manila to within 34-32.

Jake Baltimore gave Manila its first lead since early in the game when he sank a three-ball to begin the fourth quarter. Nunnally and Brian Gonzalez added a bucket each, and the Lions led 39-34 with 6:12 left in the game. Bald Knob charged back with Jones sinking a pair of triples around a Smithson inside basket, giving the Bulldogs a 46-45 edge with just 1:22 remaining. Bald Knob’s scoring surge was aided by back to back Lion turnovers.

Belew buried a long three with 22 seconds showing on the clock, giving Manila a 48-46 lead. But Smithson was fouled with six seconds left and the 6’6” senior calmly dropped in both ends of the one and one to send the game into overtime.

Manila jumped to a 54-50 lead in the first extra period, but the Bulldogs fought back and tied the score 54-all, sending the game into another overtime.

Bald Knob’s length hurt Manila’s inside game most of the night as the Bulldog duo of Smithson and the 6’4” Arnold swatted away several Lion shots. Smithson pumped in a game high 22 points to pace Bald Knob. Jones scored 16, Braden Davis had 10 while Arnold chipped in nine. The Bulldogs hit 9-14 free throws and sank eight three pointers.

Belew finished his stellar Lion career with 21 points. Baltimore contributed 10, Nunnally netted eight, Wagner and Gonzalez tallied six points apiece, Harmon pitched in three while Brayden Mattingly delivered two points. Manila got to the foul line just five times, sinking three. The Lions finished with seven treys.

“Obviously, the game didn't end the way we wanted,” Manila head coach Lee Wimberley said. “To have the season this team had and to lose in double overtime by one is absolutely heartbreaking. We had a great season; 24-6, conference and district champs is nothing to scoff at. I these kids and am extremely proud of them.”