After a week filled with chaos, Barton Bears boys basketball took care of business on the court by winning their first 2A state championship.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The week leading up to a state title game will always be a nervy one, but this was something entirely different for Barton.

The Bears’ state semifinal game with England ended in a massive brawl, which resulted in a total of 12 ejections and suspensions.

While the Bears entered Thursday’s 2A sate championship game missing five players, they didn’t miss a beat, jumping out to a 20-point halftime lead over Mt. Vernon-Enola.

The second half was even more lopsided, as the Bears shot over 70% from the field on their way to an 89-44 victory to capture the school’s first boys basketball sate championship. 

Christian Williams was named the state championship game MVP for scoring 22 points and adding 3 assists. 

After the game, head coach Chris Williams addressed the media and expressed excitement for his team.

“Last week, that wasn’t us, that’s not Barton basketball. People try to paint this picture because of another school…these guys showed that they’re the best team in 2A tonight by far,” he explained.