BRYANT COMBO BATTERS PARKVIEW

Bryant's two-headed attack has the Hornets on the brink of capturing a Jammin' for Jackets championship. Starting guards Treylon Payne and Camren Hunter combined for 55 points as Bryant jumped out to a huge lead and held off a furious second-half push to beat Little Rock Parkview 83-70 in Friday's semifinals at George Cirks Arena. Payne, a senior, finished with 30 points, including 23 in the first half, while Hunter, a junior, scored 18 of his 25 points after halftime. Bryant (6-1) held a 22-point lead with just over eight minutes to play in the first half before holding on for the victory. The Hornets will play two-time defending tournament champion Mills in today's finals at 5:30 p.m. "They both really played well, especially in those respective halves," Bryant Coach Mike Abrahamson said of Payne and Hunter. "They carried us and that's nice to have. We're not a one-man show, and at the same time, nobody else is jealous of them. We had other guys step up as well. "It was just a good team victory, but even after that big lead, I knew [Parkview] was going to fight back. That's a championship program over there." Parkview (3-4) clawed back in it behind Ryan Gordan. The senior forward had 36 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks for the Patriots, who beat the Hornets during Bryant's last appearance at Jammin' for Jackets in 2017. But Payne and Hunter made sure that wouldn't happen Friday. Payne netted 18 of Bryant's first 33 points as the Hornets built a 33-11 lead. Parkview chipped away at its deficit and got within 41-34 by halftime following Gordon's tip-in before the buzzer. Bryant led 45-36 after a pair of free throws from senior Catrell Wallace with 14:01 remaining in the second half, but a bucket from junior guard Christian Winkler led to a 9-2 run that saw the Patriots cut it to 47-45. Hunter, however, began to take over by attacking inside on virtually every possession. He scored 14 points over the final eight minutes to help Bryant re-establish control and move into the title game. "I'm really proud of our guys for withstanding Parkview's run," Abrahamson said. "To come back at them does show some maturity. We had to adjust to some things on the fly because they were coming at us so aggressively. "But to withstand that, I'm really proud of them."

Parkview Magnet High School Athletics

BRYANT COMBO BATTERS PARKVIEW

Photo Credit: Parkview Magnet High School Athletics