5A boys basketball state championship: Benton rallies in final seconds for first state championship

Terrion Burgess hit the go-ahead layup with four seconds on the clock

Tommy Land

It ain't over until it's over.

Down by five with 17 seconds remaining, Elem Shelby hit two free throws to cut the Maumelle lead to one, then the Hornets turned it over on the inbound pass. Terrion Burgess then took the Benton (30-3) inbound and powered through a contested layup that ended up sealing the Panthers' first state title in school history with a 58-57 triumph.

Burgess was named the 5A state tournament's Most Valuable Player, finishing with 18 points and five rebounds. Benton's Harrison Prickett led all scorers with 22 points, while freshman Anthony Spratt added 11.

Both Malik McGuire and Markalon Rochell compiled double-doubles for Maumelle (27-7) to conclude their prep careers. McGuire had 19 points and 14 rebounds, Rochell 18 points and 11 boards. Cedric Jones also added 10 for the Hornets. Maumelle was solid in the paint, outscoring the Panthers 38-20 down low.

Pregame

Considering how last season ended in the state quarterfinals, it is safe to say there is no love lost between the Class 5A finalists after Benton slipped past Maumelle.

Benton (29-3) beat Parkview in the next round to advance to the state final, where they fell to Pine Bluff. Now in Hot Springs for the second consecutive season and third all-time, the Panthers have essentially been the 2024-25 Class 5A favorite from the second they walked off the Bank OZK Arena floor last March after they fell to the Zebras.

Despite getting hit with the injury bug around Christmas time, the Panthers made it through a very tough nonconference slate with a 10-3 record and have not lost in 2025, routing many of their 5A-South foes to earn their second consecutive conference championship.

Four-star senior prospect Terrion Burgess (20 ppg) has been highly recruited since his freshman season and has played in two 5A state finals — 2022 with Marion, then last season with the Panthers — and is aiming to wrap up his impressive prep career with a ring after coming up short the previous two times.

Classmate and Arkansas – Pine Bluff signee Harrison Pickett (15 ppg) has been outstanding and really made his presence felt during the state tournament, finishing with 30 points in the semifinals against Marion. Senior Elem Shelby (9 ppg), junior Javarious Russell (6 ppg) and highly-touted freshman Anthony Spratt (9 ppg) round out the Panthers' starting five.

Maumelle (27-6) earned its way to the championship round for the first time since 2021 and the fourth time in school history, all of which have been in the past 11 years.

The Hornets always seem to be in the 5A mix, but they started to really turn the corner in late January after a loss to Little Rock Christian. Maumelle has won 13 consecutive contests since. Head coach Michael Shook mentioned after the state quarterfinal win over Hot Springs that after a conference win over Greenbrier on Feb. 18, his team really started to get things figured out to make a serious run.

Of all the new faces Maumelle has added over the past few seasons, one of the familiar ones people have come to know is senior Markalon Rochell (15 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg, 67% 2FG), who might not say a whole lot but his play has always spoken for itself.

Seniors Cedric Jones (16 ppg, 3 rpg, 3 apg, 44% 3FG, 83% FT) and Jayce Tillman (12 ppg, 5 rpg, 2 apg) have been key additions coming in from Conway and Jacksonville, respectively, and fellow senior Derrick Lewis (6 ppg, 2 rpg, 3 apg) has been consistent in the back court and classmate Malik McGuire (8 ppg, 10 rpg, 2 apg, 2 bpg) is one of the state's best shot blockers.

Sophomore Kennon Johnson (5 ppg, 2 rpg, 1 apg) compiled a double-double in the Hornets' opening round state tournament win over Russellville and has been very reliable coming off the bench.

(Updates will appear here after the game starts.)

FINAL: Benton 58, Maumelle 57

The Panthers come back and win their first ever state title.

Fourth quarter

Benton 58-57, :04

Hornets turn it over, Benton inbounds to Burgess who fights to lay it in contested. The crowd goes crazy and Maumelle takes another timeout.

Maumelle 57-56, :08

Right after Prickett gets another bucket, Shelby gets a steal and is fouled. He hits both.

Maumelle 57-54, :21

Derrick Lewis hits two massive free throws for his first two points of the night.

Maumelle 55-52, :25

Prickett hits a quick jumper and Maumelle takes a timeout.

Maumelle 55-50, :59

Rochell was ultra-aggressive under the basket and pulls down multiple offensive boards then is fouled when he laid it in, but the and-one is no good.

Maumelle 53-50, 1:29

Benton inbounds, take it to their side of the floor and then Panthers Coach Dexter Hendrix calls time.

Maumelle 53-50, 2:33

Rochell is called for the foul on Burgess. Terrion hits one of two.

Maumelle 53-49, 3:04

Burgess, now up to 19 points, gets a layup then Benton calls a timeout on Maumelle's ensuing possession.

Maumelle 51-47, 3:57

Kennon Johnson fouls Prickett right before the media timeout. Prickett converts both.

Maumelle 47-45, 5:03

Sprattties it up after converting one of two free throws, then McGuire gets it back for Maumelle.

Maumelle 43-41, 7:25

A three by Burgess to open the quarter.

Third quarter

End of 3rd: Maumelle 43-38

A three-pointer by Jayce TIllman right in front of the Maumelle bench provides a five-point cushion for the Hornets heading into the final frame.

Maumelle 40-38, :46

Anthony Spratt nails a three to cut the Benton lead to two. Now Benton is on a run of its own and Maumelle Coach Michael Shook calls a timeout.

Maumelle 38-33, 1:50

A turnaround jumper by Burgess halts the Benton run.

Maumelle 36-31, 3:27

The Hornets are on an 8-0 run. Benton's Javarious Russell picks up his second personal foul right before the media timeout and McGuire connects on two free throws after play resumes.

Benton 30-28, 5:51

Burgess connects on two free throws to break the tie.

Benton 28-27, 6:35

Prickett gets a layup to give Benton the early third quarter lead.

Halftime: Maumelle 27-26

Hornets have the one-point advantage, but the second quarter belonged to Benton. The Panthers outscored the Hornets 20-9 in the quarter.

Second quarter

Maumelle 27-26, :08

Rochell earns the led back for Maumelle with a lay in.

Benton 26-25, 1:03

Prickett is on fire and connects on another three to retake the lead for Benton.

Maumelle 24-23, 2:10

Back-to-back threes by Prickett cuts the Maumelle lead to one.

Maumelle 24-17, 3:54

Maumelle turns Benton over and McGuire finds Jones all alone under the basket for the layup. Media timeout.

Maumelle 20-16, 5:12

Harrison Prickett is fouled on the successful layup, and-one is good.

Maumelle 20-13, 5:56

Benton has something working, on a 7-2 run to start the second. Elem Shelby hits a wide open three at the top of the key prompting Maumelle to take a tmeout.

Maumelle 18-8, 7:49

Benton's Terrion Burgess gets a layup and is fouled, but the and-one is no good. The Panthers got the ball off of a rebound and Anthony Spratt is good on a jumper.

First quarter

End of 1st: Maumelle 18-6

It was all Hornets in the first. Maumelle is feasting down low as 10 of their points have come from within the paint. Rochell, Jones and Malik McGuire all have six a piece for Maumelle.

Maumelle 16-4, 1:07

Rochell gets his second slam dunk of the game to stretch the Maumelle lead to 12. Timeout Panthers.

Maumelle 12-2, 3:02

Ced Jones connects on a three-pointer from the right wing and the Hornets are up by double digits.

Maumelle 9-2, 3:48

Maumelle is off and running at the first media timeout. Rochell has four points.

Maumelle 9-2, 4:44

Rochell slams one home on the fast break.

Maumelle 5-2, 6:07

Markalon Rochell hits two early free throws for a Hornet three-point advantage.

We are underway!

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