For the third-straight year, Harrison’s senior boys were represented in the finals of the Lendel Thomas Basketball Classic.
The Goblins were unable to repeat the results from last year’s appearance and were defeated by the Wildcats of Springdale Har-Ber in a 70-50 contest at Goblin Arena.
Harrison advanced to the finals with a 58-49 win over Ashdown.
Western Grove finished their bracket with a 50-43 win over Earle in the consolation finals after defeating the Earle jayvee team in the semifinals, 64-55.
Championship
Har-Ber 70, Harrison 50
The Goblins ended their run in the tournament with a 70-50 loss to Har-Ber in the championship game.
Harrison had a big hole to try and dig out of after the Wildcats built a 17-3 lead with 12:03 remaining in the first half. Harrison’s Bryce Bonds drained a 3-pointer at the 14:28 mark during Har-Ber’s run to start the game.
Logan Plumlee sank a pair of charity shots before Gus Miller entered the game and drove the ball into the paint for a bucket.
The Wildcats added another five points before Plumlee scored on a putback and senior Ben Elliott got his first bucket on a jumper. Bonds then added four shots from the foul line before Har-Ber went back on the offensive with a pair of buckets.
Trailing 27-15, Goblin sophomore Gatlin James hit a 3 from the right side followed by two scores from the charity stripe by Ethan Edwards.
The Wildcats added another four points before James assisted to Plumlee in the paint for a layup.
Har-Ber scored another six points in the final minutes of the first half while Harrison was held to an Elliott free throw as the Wildcats took a 38-23 advantage into halftime.
Harrison and Har-Ber traded baskets during the first 5 minutes of the second half.
Edwards hit a pair of buckets attacking the defense in the paint and Elliott scored on a drive followed by James hitting a trey from the left wing.
Plumlee then turned a defensive rebound into two points before Bonds picked a pass on defense and assisted to Edwards who completed the layup and a free throw for a three-point play to get the Goblins within, 48-37. The 11-point deficit was the closest Harrison had been to the Wildcats since early in the ballgame.
It also proved to be the closest they would get the rest of the way.
Har-Ber then went on a 16-7 run as Edwards scored all seven points for the Goblins with a pair of shots behind the arc and a free throw.
Harrison trailed by a 64-46 mark before Kolby Stone pulled down a rebound and pushed the ball over the defense to Plumlee for a transition layup.
Another steal from Bonds resulted in Elliott scoring in the paint. Elliott later finished the Goblin scoring for the game with a pair of free throws.
Har-Ber scored the final points of the game to set the final score as a 70-50 win over the host team.
Edwards led the Goblins with 16 points. Plumlee scored 10 points, Elliott nine, Bonds seven, James six and Miller two.
Edwards and Elliott were each selected for the All-Tournament Team.
Semifinals
Harrison 58, Ashdown 49
It was another trip to the finals of the LT Classic finals after Harrison defeated Ashdown, 58-49.
Elliott opened the game with a bucket followed by a trey from Bonds to get the Goblins on the board early. Gabe Huskey then sank a pair of shots from the line before Edwards got on the scoreboard with a basket.
Bonds added his second 3-pointer of the game before Huskey scored the final five points of the first half to give Harrison a 38-27 advantage over Ashdown at halftime.
Elliott and Edwards added six points apiece in the second half to go with back-to-back 3-pointers from Gatlin James as the Goblins were able to hold off a late push by Ashdown to take the tournament win.
Elliott led the way with 16 points for Harrison. Edwards scored 13, Huskey 11, Bonds eight, James six and Plumlee and Abe Glidewell two each.
GOBLINS DEFEATED IN LT FINALS
