ROGERS — Rogers Heritage boys basketball coach Tom Olsen has been involved in every Arvest Hoopfest, but it will be the first for Rogers High coach Wayne Herren.
The two coaches also have different opinions of their team heading into today’s seventh annual event.
Olsen said his team looks to be in the best shape of any he’s coached at Heritage heading into the Hoopfest. He also acknowledged this year’s field might also be the best ever.
Heritage (4-2) won two of three to finish third at the 66th annual Carthage (Mo.) Invitational last weekend, but needed a 3-pointer by Wyatt Kinnamon at the buzzer to beat the host team on Saturday.
Olsen said the War Eagles have gotten good balanced scoring with five players averaging between eight and 10 points per game. Junior Crist Olsen and sophomore Connor Hirsh leads Heritage at 10 points per game.
“The kids are performing well, to be honest our best two outings have been in our two losses,” Olsen said. “That’s encouraging that we’ve been able to win and not play our best.”
Herren said his team is struggling because of lack of size, after going 1-2 in a tournament at Republic, Mo. last week.
“We’re just looking to build on things,” said Herren, who is in his first season at Rogers High. “It’s a process of the kids getting to know the system. But there’s no doubt rebounding has been a challenge.
“We’re playing a lot of guys who don’t have much experience. Only three of our kids played varsity last year.”
Guards Hunter Hill and Keifer Holt have been consistent scorers for the Mounties (2-3), thus far.
Webb City, the 2011 Arvest runnerup, opens its season today in Rogers. The Cardinals returns four starters from last year’s 21-8 club, including seniors Phoenix Johnson and Kohl Slaughter, who made the all-tournament team a year ago.
Mount Vernon returns four starters from a team, which finished 24-7 and lost in the Class 3 state semifinals last season. The Mountaineers come in 1-1, after a loss to Nixa, Mo., the top-ranked team in Class 5 in Missouri.
At A Glance
Arvest Hoopfest
at War Eagle Arena, Rogers Heritage
Today
Game 1: Waynesville, Mo. vs. Pea Ridge, 4 p.m.
Game 2: Fort Smith Southside vs. Webb City, Mo., 5:30 p.m.
Game 3: Rogers High vs. Mt. Vernon, Mo., 7 p.m.
Game 4: Rogers Heritage vs. Hot Springs, 8:30 p.m.
Friday
Game 5: Game 1 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 4 p.m.
Game 6: Game 2 loser vs. Game 3 loser, 5:30 p.m.
Game 7: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 7 p.m.
Game 8: Game 1 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 9: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 1:30 p.m.
Game 10: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 3 p.m.
Game 11: Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 loser, 4:30 p.m.
Game 12: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 6 p.m.