MAGNOLIA -- A 23-1 run was all the Little Rock Parkview's boys basketball team needed to get back to Hot Springs.
The Patriots rolled to a 74-51 victory over Sylvan Hills on Saturday in the Class 5A state tournament semifinals at Panther Arena.
Parkview (28-5), which won the Class 6A state championship last season, will play in the Class 5A state championship game later this week at the Hot Springs Convention Center.
Patriots Coach Al Flanigan will coach in his ninth state championship game, having won six at Parkview. He heads back to the state final with a team whose closest victory in the state tournament this week was 17 points -- a 67-50 victory over Harrison in the quarterfinals Thursday.
"We talked last night before we got over here that we had to stay focused," Flanigan said. "We want to get back to that championship. For these three seniors, we have to finish it up."
Khalil Garland, a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville signee, led the Patriots with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Javon Franklin finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocked shots. C.J. White had 16 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
Saturday's game was the third this season between Parkview and Sylvan Hills, both 5A-Central members who played in the Class 6A/5A-4 combined district in 2017. Parkview won the first two meetings, 62-37 on Jan. 13 and 76-65 on Feb. 10.
Sylvan Hills (18-14) led 12-11 with less than three minutes remaining in the first quarter before Parkview took control, using the 23-1 run to take a 34-13 lead with 5:26 left in the second quarter.
During the run, Franklin scored six points and Garland added five. Garland hit a three-pointer before the first-quarter buzzer to give Parkview a 23-13 lead.
Garland's layup made it 29-13 and consecutive baskets from Allen Flanigan pushed the lead to 34-13. Parkview led 38-22 at halftime and 60-38 at the end of the third quarter.
"We knew it was win or go home," Franklin said. "Everybody came out and played hard."
Kevin Davis' Bears were a No. 4 seed from entering the tournament. They upset 5A-South champion Hope in the first round and defeated Morrilton in the quarterfinals. But on Saturday, the Bears were no match for the Patriots.
"I thought we were a little tired yesterday in the Morrilton game," Davis said. "It's a long week. We have 10 kids. We're a little short.
"You continue to work hard and continue to climb. There's three juniors in there that will have to bring some young kids up to speed. That's what we'll take from this."
Jacobe Davis led the Bears with 14 points. Taleh Wade had 11 points and made 3 three-pointers.
MILLS 52, HOT SPRINGS 47
Quawn Marshall scored 16 points and Darious Hall, a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville signee, had 15 points as Mills (30-2) defeated Hot Springs (21-13).
Mills finished 18 of 24 at the free-throw line.
Hot Springs led 40-39 with 7:40 to play, but Mills used an 8-0 run to take a 47-40 lead, capped by Orion Virden's three-pointer with 4:41 left.
The Trojans cut the Comets' lead to 49-45 on Matt Corder's three-pointer with 2:00 to play.
Exavian Christon led Hot Springs with 19 points. Trayvun Gordon added 12 points.
Sports on 03/05/2017