Pointer Basketball closed out 2025 with a 61-57 win over Vilonia in the Lendel Thomas Classic Championship.

The win brings the 25-26 Pointers overall record to 11-5 and sends VB into the conference season winning 3 in a row and 5 of their last 6.

Senior Gabe Johnson was chosen as the Championship Game MVP and fellow Senior Brodie Myers was chosen as the Tournament MVP.

The Pointers led 30-26 at half but found themselves down 6 points with only 4:00 remaining. A basket by Gabe Johnson put VB within 4 and then Sophomores Truett Cazzell, Kingsley Koch and Kannen Russell scored the last 9 points of the game to secure the win and the championship for Van Buren. Kannen Russell hit a huge 3 with 2:00 to play to tie it and Truett Cazzell scored the last 4 points off two different assists from Gabe Johnson for the win.

Johnson finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds for his second double/double of the tournament and Brodie Myers had 10 points and 7 assists to claim Tournament MVP honors.

The Pointers also got tremendous contributions from Sophomore Kyree Dumas as well as Juniors Jude Jennings and Abe Cone.

Next up for the Pointers will be the conference opener against Greenwood on January 6 at Clair Bates Arena.