4A girls basketball state championship: De Queen takes home title, hands PA first loss of season

De Queen won its first state championship since 2003

Tommy Land

De Queen is now two for two all-time in state championship games after handing Pulaski Academy its first loss of the season to claim the 4A state championship with a 62-54 win at Bank OZK Arena on Friday.

Senior guard Shalyn Lyle, the stepdaughter of De Queen head coach Bret Burgess, earned the 4A state tournament's Most Valuable Player, finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists on the day. Her twin sister, Jessie Lyle, had 12 points, while Emma Chambers led the Leopards with 13 and Landri Liggin added 11.

PA's Greenlee Elmore led all scorers in the game with 25 points, plus 11 rebounds, while Randi Stewart added 16.

The Leopards (35-1) gave the Bruins (36-1) fits with their stout defense, turning the Bruins over 12 times in the first half and 20 for the game. Both teams shot decent from the field, but each struggled from three-point range, as De Queen connected on only 16% of shots from long range while PA hit 12%. The Leopards did, however, finish a perfect 12 for 12 from the free throw line.

Pregame

It is not always the teams with the prettiest win-loss records who make it to the end, but that is the case this year in Class 4A as Pulaski Academy and De Queen have combined to go 70-1.

The Leopards (34-1) have the one blemish on their resume, a conference loss to Nashville, which De Queen later avenged twice, but excluding that blemish, they have had a remarkable run in their first season under head coach Bret Burgess after a 12-16 finish a season ago. This is the program's second appearance in the state final, the first coming in 2003, when the Leopards won it all.

Burgess came to De Queen from Nashville, where he was part of the 2022 Scrapperette state championship run. He brought his stepdaughters Jessie (13.7 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.4 spg, 2.7 apg) and Shalyn (17.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.2 spg, 4.3 apg) Lyle, who are both signed to play at Arkansas Tech University. The Lyles grew up in the De Queen School system, where Burgess coached for 10 years.

Other top contributors for the Leopards include juniors Emma Chambers (12.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.5 spg, 71% FT) and Landri Liggin (12.7 ppg, 2.6 spg, 2.9 apg), who are college prospects.

Pulaski Academy (36-0) is one of two remaining teams in the state with an unblemished record and, like De Queen, also is in its first season under a new head coach. Becky Yarbrough is one of the state's all-time best and joined the Bruins following last season after compiling a legendary 33-year run at Star City that included two state titles as well as two runner-up finishes. Yarbrough is aiming to earn not only her third ring, but the first in PA history as the Bruins have been runners-up two times.

Senior leaders Madison Sanders (12 ppg and 4 apg) and Sophia Boyd (8 ppg, 74%FT) have watched this team go from eight victories as sophomores to the possibility of heading the program's first undefeated season. Speaking of sophomores, the Bruins have two really good ones in Greenlee Elmore (14 ppg and 7 rpg) and Randi Stewart (13 ppg), and junior Lindsey Johnston averages nine points and seven rebounds per contest.

(Updates will appear here after the game starts.)

FINAL: De Queen 62, Pulaski Academy 54

De Queen wins its first state championship since 2003 and hands the Bruins their first loss of the year.

Fourth quarter

De Queen 58-52, 1:24

Down four, PA calls time but Shalyn Lyle increases the Leopard lead after connecting on two free throws.

De Queen 52-50, 2:55

There have been four ties, but De Queen finds a way to pull in front again via a score by Landri Liggin. Media timeout.

Tied at 50, 4:30

Stewart ties the game with a three from the left wing.

De Queen 48-47, 5:11

Jessie Lyle hits an incredible deep three all the way from De Queen, but Ellie Robken responds with a layin on the other end. Timeout PA.

Third quarter

End of 3rd: De Queen 41-39

After PA cuts the deficit to a single point, Chambers is fouled on a successful layup. The and-1 is good, but Elmore scores again on the other end and it's a two-point ball game heading into the final frame. Sanders was on the PA bench for a large portion of the quarter with four fouls.

De Queen 38-35, 1:39

PA is now down by only one possession following a succesful jumpshot by Elmore.

De Queen 38-32, 2:42

Stewart is successful on a contested lay in and is fouled. And-one is good.

De Queen 33-27, 3:44

De Queen's Emma Chambers is fouled prior to the media timeout and will shoot two when play resumes.

De Queen 30-25, 5:03

PA has cut the De Queen lead to five and after the Leopards call time. De Queen will inbound the ball when we return to play.

De Queen 30-23, 7:28

Elmore connects on a three from the right wing to score the first oints of the second half and make it a Leopard single digit lead again.

Halftime: De Queen 30-20

De Queen's defensive pressure is causing problem for PA and the Leopards take a double-digit lead into the break. Shalyn Lyle still leads everyone with nine points and Elmore has eight for PA. The Leopards are shooting 43% from the field to PA's 25% and De Queen has forced 12 PA turnovers.

Second quarter

De Queen 22-16, 3:53

Randi Stewart scores to cut into the deficit, but De Queen forced the 10th PA turnover. Media timeout.

De Queen 22-14, 4:42

The Leopards are on a 10-2 run nearly halfway through the second with the largest lead for either team thus far, prompting PA to call another timeout.

De Queen 18-14, 6:21

A very frustrated Becky Yarbrough calls time after De Queen gets consecutive scores for a two possession lead.

First quarter

End of 1st: Tied at 12

The pregame jitters have all been worked out. The Leopards attempted nine three pointers in the opening frame and connected on two. Shalyn Lyle leads all scorers with nine.

Tied at 10, :55

PA breifly took the lead, but De Queen respinds with anohter three. Madison Sanders hits two free throws to cut the Leopards' lead back to two. Then Randi Stewart scored to tie it up.

De Queen 7-4, 3:40

Shalyn Lyle adds to De Queen's lead with a three from the left wing and Elmore responds with a basket. Media timeout.

De Queen 4-2, 5:26

Greenlee Elmore hits two free throws to put PA on the board.

De Queen 4-0, 5:45

Emma Chambers connects on a short jumper for the first points of the game, then Shalyn Lyle nabs a steal and scores on the fast break. Timeout PA.

Ball is in the air and we are underway!

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