Is Maumelle the best boy’s basketball team in the state?
The answer is a firm maybe but the Hornets will go a long way to making that claim if they beat Benton in the Class 5A state championship game this Friday night at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs.
The game is the last of the night and is scheduled to tip at 7:45 p.m. but will probably start closer to 8:30 p.m.
The game will be broadcast live on Arkansas PBS, as are the other state championship games. Live stats from all the basketball games will be available at aaa.statbroadcast.com.
Maumelle enters the game 27-7 and champs from the 5A-Central, while Benton is 29-3. This is the first time the two teams have played each other this season.
Of Benton’s three losses, only one to was an in-state team in Little Rock Central back in December. The other two losses were in a December tournament in Texas, and the Panthers enter the game riding an 18-game winning streak and still haven’t lost in 2025.
Benton’s best player is Terrion Burgess, a 6-foot-9 wing who has offers from Arkansas, Auburn and Alabama among others. Burgess is the state’s No. 3 player in this year’s senior class.
Maumelle’s Jordan Harris, a 6-7 forward, is the No. 4 prospect in this year’s junior class.
Neither team has won a basketball state championship, so this will be the first title for either.
Benton lost in the state championship game last season, and also played for a title in 2008.
This is Maumelle’s fourth state championship game appearance with losses in 2015, 2016 and 2021, all for coach Michael Shook, the program’s only coach since the high school opened after Oak Grove was closed.
Maumelle will be the visitor on Friday with Benton as the home team. Officials will be: Gene Etheridge, Daniel Brown and Patrick Watson
Rosters
MAUMELLE
0 Nash Page G 6-0 So.
1 Jaylon Walker G 5-10 Fr.
2 Derrick Lewis G 5-10 Sr.
3 Ashton Shelton G 6-1 So.
4 Kamryn Alexander G 6-0 So.
5 Cedric Jones G 6-0 Sr.
10 Malik McGuire C 6-7 Sr.
11 Jordan Harris F 6-7 Jr.
12 Talan Poyner G 5-11 Sr.
14 Kennon Johnson G 6-1 So.
15 Cohen Noble F 5-11 So.
23 Jonathan Williams G 5-10 Jr.
24 Markalon Rochell F 6-5 Sr.
33 Reese Shearon G 6-1 Jr.
35 Jayce Tillman F 6-4 Sr.
Head Coach: Michael Shook
BENTON
0 Chris Johnson G 5-8 Sr.
1 Javarious Russell G 6-1 Jr.
2 AD Gray F 6-5 Sr.
3 Elem Shelby G 6-4 Sr.
4 Anthony Spratt G 6-6 Fr.
5 Caleb Knight G 6-1 Sr.
10 Terrion Burgess G/F 6-9 Sr.
11 Carson Douglas G 6-2 Sr.
13 Robert Smith G 5-8 So.
20 Peyton Bolding G 6-1 So.
21 Pratt Falks G 6-1 So.
22 Jack Hope F 6-3 Jr.
23 Harrison Prickett G 6-2 Sr.
24 Michael Hendrix G 6-0 Fr.
30 Xavier Jones G 5-8 Jr.
Head Coach: Dexter Hendrix
State championship game schedule
2A girls – Barton vs. Izard County – Thursday at noon.
2A boys – Tuckerman vs. East Poinsett County – Thursday at 1:45 p.m.
3A girls – Lamar vs. Dover – Thursday at 6 p.m.
3A boys – Melbourne vs. Osceola – Thursday at 7:45 p.m.
4A girls – De Queen vs. Pulaski Academy – Friday at noon.
4A boys – Morrilton vs. Mills – Friday at 1:45 p.m.
5A girls – Greene County Tech vs. Farmington – Friday at 6 p.m.
5A boys – Benton vs. Maumelle – Friday at 7:45 p.m.
6A girls – Fayetteville vs. Fort Smith Northside – Saturday at noon.
6A boys – Bryant vs. Springdale – Saturday at 1:45 p.m.
1A girls – West Side (Greers Ferry) vs. Earle – Saturday at 6 p.m.
1A boys – Marked Tree vs. Earle – Saturday at 7:45 p.m.
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Ticket punched: Maumelle to play for state title
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Is Maumelle the best boy’s basketball team in the state?
The answer is a firm maybe but the Hornets will go a long way to making that claim if they beat Benton in the Class 5A state championship game this Friday night at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs.
The game is the last of the night and is scheduled to tip at 7:45 p.m. but will probably start closer to 8:30 p.m.
The game will be broadcast live on Arkansas PBS, as are the other state championship games. Live stats from all the basketball games will be available at aaa.statbroadcast.com.
Maumelle enters the game 27-7 and champs from the 5A-Central, while Benton is 29-3. This is the first time the two teams have played each other this season.
Of Benton’s three losses, only one to was an in-state team in Little Rock Central back in December. The other two losses were in a December tournament in Texas, and the Panthers enter the game riding an 18-game winning streak and still haven’t lost in 2025.
Benton’s best player is Terrion Burgess, a 6-foot-9 wing who has offers from Arkansas, Auburn and Alabama among others. Burgess is the state’s No. 3 player in this year’s senior class.
Maumelle’s Jordan Harris, a 6-7 forward, is the No. 4 prospect in this year’s junior class.
Neither team has won a basketball state championship, so this will be the first title for either.
Benton lost in the state championship game last season, and also played for a title in 2008.
This is Maumelle’s fourth state championship game appearance with losses in 2015, 2016 and 2021, all for coach Michael Shook, the program’s only coach since the high school opened after Oak Grove was closed.
Maumelle will be the visitor on Friday with Benton as the home team. Officials will be: Gene Etheridge, Daniel Brown and Patrick Watson
Rosters
MAUMELLE
0 Nash Page G 6-0 So.
1 Jaylon Walker G 5-10 Fr.
2 Derrick Lewis G 5-10 Sr.
3 Ashton Shelton G 6-1 So.
4 Kamryn Alexander G 6-0 So.
5 Cedric Jones G 6-0 Sr.
10 Malik McGuire C 6-7 Sr.
11 Jordan Harris F 6-7 Jr.
12 Talan Poyner G 5-11 Sr.
14 Kennon Johnson G 6-1 So.
15 Cohen Noble F 5-11 So.
23 Jonathan Williams G 5-10 Jr.
24 Markalon Rochell F 6-5 Sr.
33 Reese Shearon G 6-1 Jr.
35 Jayce Tillman F 6-4 Sr.
Head Coach: Michael Shook
BENTON
0 Chris Johnson G 5-8 Sr.
1 Javarious Russell G 6-1 Jr.
2 AD Gray F 6-5 Sr.
3 Elem Shelby G 6-4 Sr.
4 Anthony Spratt G 6-6 Fr.
5 Caleb Knight G 6-1 Sr.
10 Terrion Burgess G/F 6-9 Sr.
11 Carson Douglas G 6-2 Sr.
13 Robert Smith G 5-8 So.
20 Peyton Bolding G 6-1 So.
21 Pratt Falks G 6-1 So.
22 Jack Hope F 6-3 Jr.
23 Harrison Prickett G 6-2 Sr.
24 Michael Hendrix G 6-0 Fr.
30 Xavier Jones G 5-8 Jr.
Head Coach: Dexter Hendrix
State championship game schedule
2A girls – Barton vs. Izard County – Thursday at noon.
2A boys – Tuckerman vs. East Poinsett County – Thursday at 1:45 p.m.
3A girls – Lamar vs. Dover – Thursday at 6 p.m.
3A boys – Melbourne vs. Osceola – Thursday at 7:45 p.m.
4A girls – De Queen vs. Pulaski Academy – Friday at noon.
4A boys – Morrilton vs. Mills – Friday at 1:45 p.m.
5A girls – Greene County Tech vs. Farmington – Friday at 6 p.m.
5A boys – Benton vs. Maumelle – Friday at 7:45 p.m.
6A girls – Fayetteville vs. Fort Smith Northside – Saturday at noon.
6A boys – Bryant vs. Springdale – Saturday at 1:45 p.m.
1A girls – West Side (Greers Ferry) vs. Earle – Saturday at 6 p.m.
1A boys – Marked Tree vs. Earle – Saturday at 7:45 p.m.