The second day of the First Arkansas Bail Bonds Tournament came to an end Friday in Mountain Home with both host teams advancing to the championship games.
The day wrapped up with Kate Gilbert sinking two clutch free throws to push the Lady Bombers past Watson Chapel 41-39. The Lady Wildcats led for much of the first half, but by halftime, Mountain Home had taken a four-point advantage into the locker room. The Lady Bombers pushed their lead further early in the third period, but Watson Chapel began mounting a comeback. Mountain Home was held to four point in the fourth quarter until the final seconds. The Lady Wildcats tied the game at 39 with six seconds left on a bank shot in the paint by Taylor Whitted. Coming out of the following timeout, Gilbert took the ball in the backcourt, drove the length of the floor and was fouled on a layup attempt with 1/10 of a second on the clock. Gilbert hit both free throws, and Watson Chapel did not have enough time for a catch-and-shoot.
No one was in double figures for the Lady Bombers. Whitted led the Lady Wildcats with 12 points.
Mountain Home improves to 8-4 on the season. Watson Chapel falls to 5-7.
In the other girls’ semifinal, Norfork fell to Paragould 52-41. On the consolation side, Farmington defeated Highland 62-51, and Wonderview topped Hermitage 75-40.
The Bomber boys also moved to the finals following a 59-51 victory over Hamburg. The game stayed close throughout the first half with six ties and one lead change. Mountain Home pulled away and built a 16-point advantage at the end of the third quarter, but the Lions clawed their way back. The Bombers were held to just six points in the final period, all on free throws, but it was enough to post the eight-point victory.
Mountain Home was led by Wyatt Gilbert with 22 points, Luke Kruse scored 12, and Colton Peters added 11. For Hamburg, Caleb Bridges had 14 points, and Jalen Wilson chipped in 13 before he fouled out.
The Bombers are now 4-7 on the year. The Lions drop to 6-6.
Mountain Home’s last opponent in the tournament is Clarendon after they edged out Farmington 61-58 in the other semifinal. In the consolation games, Mountain Home Christian Academy got past Brinkley 67-61, and Paragould beat Cave City 62-48.
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