By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
MAGNOLIA – Sylvan Hills coach Kevin Davis earnestly believed getting to the state tournament would provide an opportunity for a deep run. The Bears got in by winning theirfirst-round game at district and earning a four seed from the 5A-Central. In this week’s Class 5A state tournament, the Bears have made that deep run and will play Parkview High at 1:30 p.m. today in the semifinals for a chance to vie for another state championship.
The Bears dominated 5A-South champion Hope 66-49 on Tuesday, and on Thursday they beat 5A-West three seed Morrilton 52-43.
“Being prepared to play and staying focused on what you’re trying to accomplish can go a long ways,” said Davis. “We know night in and night out we’ve been playing some top teams and have shown the ability to play with teams like that. Defensively I thought we executed our game plan really well. It took a little while for our shots to start falling consistently, but we never had a dropoff defensively and I think that was the key.”
The Bears stretched out a seven-point lead at 19-12 when Taleh Wade scored after a steal, but Hope’s T.D Walton converted a 4-point play to end the period. He was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer. The shot went in and he added the free throw to make it 19-16.
The Bears (17-13) led 23-19 after Hope’s Marke Haynie scored at the 4:00 mark. Sylvan Hills then scored six in a row to take a 10-point lead. Hope’s Jaylan Anderson stopped the run, but Sylvan Hills’ J.D. Smith converted a 3-point play with 1:27 left that gave the Bears their biggest lead of the half at 32-21.
Haynie scored with 1:03 to go to set the halftime margin.
The two teams played to an 11-11 tie in the third quarter, and the Bears took control in the fourth.
From 46-35, Wade made his second 3-pointer of the quarter to start a 16-5 run that took just three minutes and all but sealed the win. Haynie answered Wade to make it 49-37 with 5:44 to go. SH point guard Jacobé Davis then made both ends of a one-and-one trip to the line. Haynie traveled, and Jordan Washington made two free throws with five minutes left. Clyde Ricks hit a long 3-pointer for Hope to make it 53-40, but the Bears scored the next nine in a row.
Washington answered Ricks with his own 3-pointer. He then got a steal and passed to Jamal Johnson for a dunk that made it 58-40.
After Hope traveled, Wade made one of two, but Washington rebounded his miss and was fouled. He also made one of two for a 20-point lead. Another Washington offensive rebound resulted in a 62-40 Sylvan Hills lead with 3:15 left in the game.
Washington had a double-double and led all players in two categories, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Jacobé Davis and Wade each scored 14 for the Bears.
Haynie led Hope (13-10) with 19 points while Walton added 16.
