Tevin Lindsey’s basket from near the free throw line gave Baldwyn a late lead and the Bearcats advanced to their second straight MHSAA Class 2A state title game.

Baldwyn beat Williams-Sullivan 50-45 Friday night at Mississippi Coliseum in a grind-it-out game that was tied with 1 minute, 26 seconds left.

“We need one more and we know we’ve got a great challenge ahead of us,” Baldwyn coach Jason McKay said.

Baldwyn (30-3) will face the Bassfield-Coahoma AHS winner Thursday for the championship .

After a timeout, Lindsey gave his team the lead and Sullivan’s Kortez Wade missed an open layup.

Martell Brown made 1 of 2 from the line, Wade walked and Duke Upshaw broke free for a lay-in to seal it.

Baldwyn made 7-of-10 free throws and had four players in double figures, led by Lindsey’s 14.

“Anytime a contest comes down to a few points, naturally it’s the little things you do,” McKay said.

Freshman Conner McKay shook his defender at the third-quarter buzzer and sank a floater for a 32-27 lead. His 3 to open the fourth put the Bearcats up eight.

Back-to back scores by Lindsey and Brown put Baldwyn back up by eight with 6 minutes left as it went back-and-forth.

Brown finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. Wade led the Yellow Jackets (27-5) with 13 points.

Baldwyn also got 11 from McKay and Upshaw, who had three fouls in the first quarter. Mason Penson took four charges for the Bearcats,

“They’re a very disciplined team, very well-coached and they play the game the right way,” said Williams-Sullivan interim coach Adam Wells.

Baldwyn is in the finals for the third time in four years.

Baldwyn is going for its first title since back-to-back wins in 1986-87 with McKay at the point then.

brandon.speck@journalinc.com