In their first season of Class 6A competition, the Greenwood Bulldogs basketball team reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament last week, an event played on their home floor at H. B. Stewart Arena on the campus of Greenwood High School. And though they bowed out of the tournament two games shy of a shot at the state title, they were bounced from the bracket by Little Rock Hall, one of the best teams in the state, featuring 6’-9” future Arkansas Razorback Bobby Portis, who led the Warriors with 17 points and entertained the fans with several dunks.
A quick start by Greenwood had the local fans hoping for an upset, as the Bulldogs went ahead 7-0 on a three-pointer by junior Evan Lensing, a turnaround jumper by senior Ethan Clark, and a driving lay-up by senior guard Colton McEvoy.
Trailing 11-7 moments later, the Hall bench signaled for a timeout, and when play resumed the Warriors scored 19 of the game’s next 23 points, including 15 straight to begin the second quarter. Trailing 15-11 after eight minutes, Hall forced six consecutive Greenwood turnovers to take a double-digit advantage at 26-15. The Bulldogs trailed 32-23 at the half.
The Warriors used an 11-0 scoring run in the third quarter, featuring back-to-back dunks by Portis, to essentially put the game away. Hall led 49-33 after 24 minutes and rolled to the 58-46 victory over the stubborn Bulldogs who never quit playing hard.
Ethan Clark, who had the unenviable task of guarding Portis, led Greenwood in scoring with 16 points and also grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double in his final appearance on the hard court. Also playing his final game for the Bulldogs, Colton McEvoy added 16 points.
“I’m proud of these seniors,” Greenwood head coach Brian Martin said after the game. “We have nothing to hang our heads about. We had a good season. They set the tone and got us back to where we want the program to be. It’s a credit to the seniors for the hard work they put in.” In addition to Clark and McEvoy, the Bulldogs also say goodbye to seniors Drew Caple, Cole McAlister, and Austin Harris who all saw significant playing time this season.
To reach the quarterfinals, the Bulldogs first had to face another Little Rock team in the Fair War Eagles. Trailing 8-6 late in the first quarter, Greenwood got baskets from Ethan Clark and Austin Harris to hold a 10-8 advantage at the buzzer. The Bulldogs then went up 17-10 in the second quarter after a three-pointer by Evan Lensing, prompting a timeout by the Hall bench. The War Eagles trimmed the deficit to 21-18 at the half.
Greenwood also scored the first five points of the third period on a jumper by Clark from the free throw line, followed by a conventional three-point play, again by Clark, whose free throw put the Bulldogs up 26-18 at the 6:00 mark. Greenwood led 39-32 after three quarters, but were severely tested over the final eight minutes by a Fair rally.
Trailing 43-36 early in the period, the War Eagles chopped the lead to a single point at 45-44 with an 8-2 scoring run, then went on to take a brief lead at 46-45. But a pair of Ethan Clark free throws put the Bulldogs back on top to stay at 47-46. An Evan Lensing free throw made it 48-46 with just over seven seconds remaining, but Fair got off a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have won the game, but it bounced harmlessly off the rim, giving Greenwood the victory.
“I’m pretty sure that ball was in the air a good five seconds,” said Coach Martin. “From where I was standing, it looked like it was going in. It’s an answered prayer that it didn’t go in.”
Ethan Clark finished the game with 19 points and five rebounds for Greenwood. Colton McEvoy had eight points, six rebounds, and four assists. Ryan Davis added eight points for the Bulldogs as they moved on in tournament play.