LYNN–The Pirates advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 1A State Tournament by defeating the Eagles of Fayetteville Christian 59-47 on Thursday at Hillcrest Hich School.
“I didn’t think we played very well that game, really just good enough to win,” said Concord Coach Keith Cornett. “We were in control most of the game but they cut it down there in the late third and early fourth. We got the ball to Chase Thomas about five times in a row and that really helped us out. Chase played really well in the last 10 games of the season,” added Cornett of his senior, who led the Pirates in scoring and rebounding this season.
The Pirates jumped out to a 6-0 lead as Thomas slashed through left side of the lane for a layup and Derek Burnett hit two free throws before Tim Fuller picked a steal and finished with a double-clutch layup, forcing Fayetteville Christian to call timeout less that two minutes into the game.
Blake Riley broke the ice for the Eagles with a jumper from right elbow then Daniel Sypult turned an offensive rebound into a free throw before Fuller hit Thomas slashing down the right baseline for a layup.
Riley answered with a pull up jumper from right baseline before Fuller swiped another steal that led to a putback in transition from Thomas, pushing the Pirates’ lead to 10-5. Brett Waters canned a deep 3-pointer up top to pull Fayetteville Christian within two, but Fuller answered with a trey from right wing then Thomas pulled down a defensive rebound and found Fuller for a breakaway layup.
Neither team scored in the final minute of the first quarter, leaving Concord ahead 15-8 entering the second quarter.
Jeremiah McLarty opened the second with a midrange jumper from left wing before Concord scored four straight as Burnett made a left-handed hook shot and moments later Burnett dished to Slade Stormont for a layup.
The Eagles hung around with five consecutive as Tony Johnson sank a turnaround hook shot and Michael McLarty drained a 3-pointer from right wing before Thomas hit a fade away jump shot from left side.
With Concord leading 21-15, Riley got a stick back but Concord gained a cushion with a 7-0 run as Thomas lobbed to Fuller for an alley-oop layup and Dylan Shelley ripped a 3-pointer from left wing off an assist from Burnett.
Aaron Hegarty drove the lane and finished with a floater as the Pirates’ lead grew to 28-17 before Sypult scored in the paint. Holding for the final shot of the first half, Thomas drove to the left elbow and dished to Burnett for a layup, giving Concord a 30-19 lead at intermission.
Josh Crown got the Eagles going with a steal and 3-pointer from right elbow in the opening moments of the third quarter but Thomas answered with a 15-foot jumper from left elbow. Logan King followed with an off-balance shot from right baseline but Riley fired back with a jumper from left wing.
Burnett and Riley traded a pair of free throws then Riley scored from left block off an assist from Crown as Fayetteville Christian pulled within eight before Thomas sank a jump shot from right elbow. Ryan Albertson made a free throw and Riley followed with a 3-pointer from right wing before Thomas hit two from the charity stripe, giving the Pirates a 40-32 advantage.
But Fayetteville Christian stayed in the game as Johnson hit a hook shot from right baseline and then he backed down his defender for two more but Thomas retaliated with a leaning bank from left side. Johnson drew a foul with 1.1 second remaining in the third quarter and he connected on both, leaving Concord with a 42-38 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Thomas recorded a one-handed tip-in to start the fourth but Jeremiah McLarty buried a 3-pointer from left wing and Crown sliced through the right side for a layup, pulling the Eagles within one at 44-43.
In the final 5:20, the Pirates outscored Fayetteville Christian 15-4 to win it going away. Hegarty swiped a steal and hit Fuller, who finished with a hanging layup, plus contact. Fuller completed the 3-point play then Thomas turned a steal into a pair of free throws. Thomas added another foul shot then he made a pull up jumper from charity stripe, extending Concord’s lead to 52-43.
Thomas and Riley swapped a pair of free throws before Fuller popped a 3-pointer from left wing and Shelley added a pair from the line. Riley hit two free throws in the final 30 seconds for the Eagles, setting the final at 59-47.
Riley paced Fayetteville Christian with 19 points and Johnson followed with eight off the bench.
Thomas scored a game-high 25 points for Concord, Fuller followed with 15 and Burnett added eight.
Lynn, Ark. —
