NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — In the state semifinals against Dumas on Saturday, a bucket by Arkansas football commit and Central Arkansas Christian junior Grayson Wilson in the game's final seconds punched the ticket for the team's first state title appearance in boys basketball.
The Mustangs won that game 50-48. Last year in the quarterfinals, Dumas knocked the Mustangs out of the tournament, so it was sweet to get this win.
"We returned eight of our top nine guys from last year, which was a highly competitive team, and we knew that this team was going to have a chance to compete at the state level," head coach Matt Hall said.
The only thing in the Mustangs' way now is the Bergman Panthers, their opponent in the 3A title game.
"I think we're very well coached. I think we're disciplined and we've played together since we were in junior high. We have guys who can score from all three levels. We have maturity and I think we're smart enough to win a state championship," Wilson said.
"We've handled adversity so well. We went perfect in conference and lost in the district championship and lost in the regional, but then we strung together back to back to back wins in the state tournament and we just playing a competent level right now," senior Sam Maddox said.
Although the Mustangs will be the New Kids on the Block in Hot Springs, they've been planning this state championship run for a while.
"I've never been in a state championship, but I think we can win it. I think it's something that we can build off of for the next couple of years for our team," Wilson said.
"This is just a huge opportunity and a dream come true to play in that game. It's really special. I remember specifically in some sixth grade PE class we were looking around and we were like 'There's no boys basketball championship up there. We're gonna be the first ones to do it.' So that's the goal. It's just a historic moment for the program," he added.
Central Arkansas Christian and Bergman will go at it for the boys' 3A hoops title at the Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs on Thursday at 1:45.