Marked Tree beats Nevada for 1A state title

By COSMO COSSEY

Sports Connection Team

HOT SPRINGS – Marked Tree (35-3) built a 10-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back as the Indians went on to beat the Nevada Blue Jays, 66-43, this past Saturday to win the Class 1A state basketball tournament at Bank OZK Arena. The title was the first for Marked Tree since 2001.

Ladarrius Brown of Marked Tree shoots a three-pointer over a Nevada defender during the Class 1A state championship game this past Saturday in Hot Springs. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

Landon Lewis put the Indians on the board first with a basket off the fast break to make it 2-0. Back-to-back jumpers from Nevada made it 4-2 before Ladarrius Brown hit triple twine for Marked Tree to put the Indians up 5-4. The Blue Jays scored off the fast break to go up 6-5 only to see Brown hit a three-pointer and two free throws to give Marked Tree a 10-6 lead with 3:31 left, a lead the Indians would keep the rest of the game. Nevada hit a jumper to make it 10-8 as the Indians scored the last nine points of the quarter as Ken Carter hit a jumper, Brown canned a three-pointer and Lewis scored back to back baskets to make it 19-8 Marked Tree at the end of one.

Carter pushed the Marked Tree lead to 21-8 with a jumper early in the second quarter as the Blue Jays scored seven straight points to cut the lead to 21-15 Indians with 5:14 left. Marked Tree went on a 12-0 run over the next five minutes as Carter canned a three-ball and scored inside, Cameron Marshall drilled a three-pointer before Ja'Kaymion Williams hit back to back jumpers making the score 33-15 Indians at halftime.

Jonah Walker scored in the paint to make it 35-16 with less than a minute gone in the third quarter as Nevada scored down low to make it 35-18. Brown hit a jumper in the lane for the Indians, the Blue Jays converted an old-fashioned three-point play, Walker hit two free throws for Marked Tree as Nevada hit a three-pointer and got a stick back basket making it 36-26 Indians with 1:23 left. Back-to-back baskets from Walker pushed the Indians lead to 43-26 as Nevada added a basket late to make the score 43-28 Marked Tree after three quarters.

Indian Ladarrius Brown talks about his fast start during Marked Tree's win over Nevada this past Saturday in Hot Springs. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

The Blue Jays cut the lead to 43-31 with a three-pointer to open the fourth-quarter scoring only to see Williams put back an offensive rebound and Lewis convert an old-school three-point play to make it 48-31 Indians. The Blue Jays hit one-of-two free throws and scored down low before Marked Tree answered with two free throws from Williams and a three-pointer from Brown to make the score 53-34 Indians with 4:58 left in the game. Nevada scored inside, Brown got a bucket down low for the Indians before the Blue Jays scored seven straight points to make it 55-43 Marked Tree with less than two minutes left. The Indians went on an 11-0 run as Walker and Marshall both scored in the paint, Williams scored off the fast break, Brown threw down a two-handed dunk, Carter hit one of two free throws and D'Angelo Brown had a stick back basket to make final score 66-43 Marked Tree.

Ladarrius Brown scored 20 points to lead Marked Tree as Carter, Williams and Walker all finished with 10 points each. Lewis added nine points, Marshall tossed in five points and D'Angelo Brown chipped in two points for the Indians.

“Last year we sat here and I made the statement that is was always nice to be second coach to get interviewed after this game and I'm proud of the team for making that happen this year,” Marked Tree Coach Barbara Wilburn said after the game. “I think the kids knew the feeling of being here last year and wanted that feeling again this year and to be champions. They knew what it takes to be here and I'm proud of them,” Wilburn added. “This one feels different than the one in 2001 as it was the first one. We were here three more times in that dry spell and gave the first interview each time,” Wilburn added. “We pride ourselves on defense as we work on that the most in practice. If you don't play defense we are capable of playing, you'll end up on the bench,” Wilburn said about her team's relentless pressure during the game.

Ken Carter of Marked Tree listens to a question before answering during post-game interviews after the 1A State Tournament championship game. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

Ladarrius Brown, who was the tournament most valuable player, had 20 points, six rebounds and four steals to lead the Indians on both sides of the ball. “My point guard (Carter) got me the ball and I made some shots early the built my confidence to carry me the rest of the game,” Brown said.

“We had some flaws during the game but when coach told us things we needed to do, we just gave it our all when we went back out on the court,” Carter said.