ASU Mid-South Advances to Region Finals with 74-68 Semifinal Win Over Phillips Community College - UA

HARRISON, ARK — It wasn't always pretty, but it was gritty — and that was more than enough for ASU Mid-South on semifinal night.

The Greyhounds punched their ticket to the Region Finals with a hard-fought 74-68 victory over Phillips Community College–UA, surviving a late push from the Ridge Runners to keep their championship hopes alive.

ASU Mid-South came out sluggish offensively, struggling to find rhythm in the early minutes. But as the first half settled in, so did the Greyhounds. Both teams locked in defensively, turning the semifinal into a half-court battle filled with contested shots and limited second-chance opportunities.

By halftime, ASU Mid-South had carved out a narrow 31-26 advantage.

The second half opened up considerably, with both offenses beginning to find their groove. The Greyhounds seized momentum midway through the period when Braylon Frazier buried a three-pointer that pushed the lead to 15, igniting the ASU bench and crowd.

But Phillips CC-UA refused to fold. The Ridge Runners answered immediately with a three of their own, signaling that their season was far from finished.

ASU Mid-South maintained a double-digit cushion for much of the second half until the 4:13 mark, when Jaiden Brunson knocked down a field goal to trim the deficit to eight. Moments later, Brunson connected from beyond the arc, slicing the lead to six and injecting new life into the Ridge Runner sideline.

With tension building in the final seconds and the clock showing just 16 ticks remaining, the Greyhounds executed when it mattered most. Clean inbounding and disciplined ball protection prevented Phillips from extending the game at the foul line, allowing ASU Mid-South to run out the clock and secure the victory.

Phillips CC-UA concludes its season with a strong 21-11 overall record. Trenton Ford led all scorers with 20 points for the Ridge Runners, while Brunson and Jeremiah Aaron each added 15.

ASU Mid-South was paced by Phillip Tillman's near triple-double performance of 17 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. Randy Emerson added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Hugh McFarland contributed 15 points. Taylor Conner recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards, and Dejavius Johnson chipped in nine.

With the win, the Greyhounds advance to tomorrow's championship game at 3:00 p.m., where they will face the winner of North Arkansas and Southeast Arkansas.

After the final horn, the message from the ASU Mid-South bench was clear and focused.

"I'm happy on the inside," head coach Cody Hastings said. "But it's all business until we smile tomorrow."