A Gritty Night in Morrilton: Lady Devil Dogs Hold Strong, Trojans Survive OT Thriller

Morrilton Lady Devil Dogs vs. Little Rock Lady Flames

Coming into the night, both teams were still searching for early-season consistency, and the matchup between Morrilton and the homeschool-based Little Rock Lady Flames delivered a scrappy, defensive battle from start to finish.

The Lady Flames entered 1–1 on the season, while Morrilton sat at 2–1 with wins over Clarksville and Huntsville. With limited info on the Flames roster, it was hard to know exactly what to expect other than high-tempo basketball and disciplined fundamentals that homeschool programs are known for.

That’s exactly what they brought.

Halftime score sat at 22–15 Morrilton, and the game never strayed far from that tone. Turnovers defined the night, Morrilton forced 15 steals, while the Flames answered with 11 of their own, making every possession a battle.

Senior guard Stevie Tanner kept Morrilton steady with timely buckets all game long, while Samya Robins provided a huge second-half spark. Without a deep scouting report on the Flames, it became clear that a few of the flames starters were the engines of their offense, each finishing with 8 points.

In the end, the Lady Devil Dogs controlled the pace just enough to hold on, securing a 45–34 victory.

Morrilton:– Stevie Tanner – 15 pts– Samya Robins – 15 pts

Lady Flames:– #1 – 8 pts– #3 – 8 pts

Morrilton Devil Dogs vs. Subiaco Trojans

Final Score: Subiaco 59, Morrilton 57 (OT)

Coming into Monday night, Subiaco was one of the most intriguing early-season stories in the state. A small all-boys school sitting at a clean 5-0, and not against light competition. The Trojans had already collected wins over three 6A teams (Southside, Springdale, LR Southwest), a tough Sheridan squad, and perennial 2A contender Ozark Catholic. They walked into Morrilton looking to prove those wins weren’t flukes.

The Devil Dogs, meanwhile, entered at 1-1, with a win over Lamar and a competitive loss to 6A Har-Ber. This matchup felt like the perfect early-season measuring stick for both sides: toughness, execution, and who could close when it mattered most.

First Half: Subiaco Strikes First

Halftime Score: 29–26 Subiaco

The first half didn’t feature a ton of offensive fireworks, but it did feature one undeniable star: Subiaco senior Justiz Butler. He came out swinging, attacking lanes, finishing through contact, and scoring 17 of the Trojans’ 29 first-half points.

Morrilton countered behind senior guard Ty Wright, who kept the Devil Dogs grounded with 10 first-half points and strong on-ball control. Even with the Dogs struggling to find rhythm, they were never far behind, setting the stage for the war that was coming.

Second Half: Chaos, Grit, and the Push to Overtime

If the first half was quiet, the second half was anything but. Both teams finally settled into themselves, trading baskets and defensive stops as momentum swung like a pendulum.

Inside the final two minutes, it became pure basketball drama.

With 1:07 left, Subiaco held a narrow 52–51 lead. Butler jumped a passing lane for what looked like the dagger, but the layup didn’t fall. Morrilton’s Isaiah Templeton secured the rebound, and Wright pushed, but his shot rimmed out. Clayton “Slim” Eason ripped down the rebound, drew a foul, and split the free throws to tie it at 52–52 with 37 seconds remaining.

Morrilton nearly stole the game after great defensive pressure from Kielyn Bunting forced the ball out on Subiaco. But with the final possession of regulation, the Dogs came up empty despite multiple looks, and we headed to overtime tied at 52.

Overtime: A Finish Worthy of a Classic

OT started with a Trojans bucket from Gregory Martijn Jr., quickly answered by an ice-cold three from Templeton to put the Devil Dogs in front 55–54.

But Subiaco refused to fold.

After more back-and-forth defense, Templeton scored again to push the lead to 57–54 with just 1:34 left. Martijn missed a potential answer, and the Dogs seemed in control… until a turnover with under a minute remaining cracked the door open.

After a timeout, Nico Schmitz rose to the moment, drilling a huge three to tie it at 57–57.

Morrilton had a chance late, but after a couple missed attempts, Subiaco’s Lee Miller secured the rebound and powered in the go-ahead bucket with 3.9 seconds left, giving the Trojans a 59–57 lead.

Ty Wright, who had been excellent all night, drew a foul and went to the line for two shots with the game on the line. But both free throws rolled off, and after a clock error and referee discussion that left 1.5 seconds remaining, Subiaco inbounded cleanly to seal the win.

A gutsy road win for the Trojans.

A heartbreaker for the Dogs.

And an instant early-season classic for Arkansas basketball.

Final Leading Scorers

Morrilton:Ty Wright — 22 pts, 9 rebs, 4 asst, 3 stl

Subiaco:Justiz Butler — 25 pts, 12 rebs, 4 stl

Final Score: Subiaco 59, Morrilton 57 (OT)

Another night, another reminder of why Arkansas basketball hits different. Subiaco and Morrilton gave us a game that swung on grit, heart, and pure late-game chaos, exactly the kind of battle that sets the tone for the season ahead. And we’re just getting started.

I’ll be back in the gym Thursday for Morrilton vs. Monticello, and Friday brings a powerhouse matchup with Maumelle vs. Bryant. Two more chances to bring you the stats, the moments, and everything in between. Let’s keep it rolling. 🏀🔥

KFletch 🖤