After a short break for the holidays, most Northwest Arkansas prep basketball teams will return to action today and Thursday in a host of tournaments across the region.
Besides the tournaments in Siloam Springs and Neosho, Mo., a number of area teams will be heading to holiday tournaments in the River Valley as well as out of state.
Here is a preview of where area teams will be playing:
ROGERS HIGH
Rogers High will see a familiar foe when the Lady Mounties open play at the 1st Arkansas Bail Bonds Tournament in Mountain Home Thursday.
Rogers will face North Little Rock at 4 p.m. Thursday with the winner getting the Greenwood-Sheridan winner on Friday.
North Little eliminated the Lady Mounties in the semifinals of the Class 7A State Tournament in 2009 and 2010. Mountain Home, Pulaski Academy, Paragould and Fayetteville are also in the eight team field.
“I don’t know if our kids understand the history of us and North Little Rock,” Rogers coach Preston Early said. “Two one-point losses in the semifinals. They are one of the top three programs in the state. I hope our kids embrace that as a challenge and a opportunity.”
Rogers (7-3) fell 51-47 Friday to Mountain Home despite 19 points by Taylor Strickland and 11 points by Hannah Hawley. The Lady Mounties are got two key 3-pointers from junior Ruth Davis.
The Rogers boys will compete in the Rolla (Mo.) Holiday Tournament.
The Mounties (4-6) are coming off a big 59-50 win against Mountain Home and will take on host Rolla on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Freshman Jake Killingsworth led the Mounties with 20 points against the Bombers.
ROGERS HERITAGE
Rogers Heritage girls basketball coach Kevin Ramey knows the Lady War Eagles will face quality opponents in the Battle at the Brier in Greenbrier after Christmas.
But his focus will still be his team’s execution, more than the opposition in order to prepare for the start of 7A/6A-West Conference play on Jan. 4.
“I want us to play with energy and intensity and rebound,” Ramey said. “I want us to screen and cut and get good shots on offense.”
Heritage has struggled with turnovers at times, averaging 20 in its three losses.
“We know if we rebound, take care of the ball, we have a chance to be successful,” Ramey said.
The Lady War Eagles (7-3) will open play in the Battle at the Brier at 1 p.m. Thursday against Searcy.
If Heritage wins it will play at 7 p.m. Friday in a semifinal game against the Greenbrier-Bauxite winner. If it losses, it will play at 1 on Friday against the loser of the same game.
Teams on the other side of the bracket include Vilonia, Watson Chapel, Benton and Guy Perkins.
The tournament finals is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Heritage is guaranteed three games in three days in the eight-team event.
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER
The Springdale Har-Ber girls will join Cabot as the only teams from Arkansas competing for three days in the Mansfield Invitational at Mansfield, Texas.
Har-Ber, which will play two games today beginning at 8 a.m., finished seventh in the 32-team field last season.
“It’s really a prestigious tournament,” Har-Ber coach Sandy Wright said. “I hope we can go down there and compete.”
Har-Ber (6-4) has lost consecutive games to Greenwood and Shawnee, Okla., after winning the Joplin (Mo.) Invitational. The Lady Wildcats are led sophomore Bailey Schalk (12.0 points per game) and senior Caylee Wright (10.0 points per game).
The Har-Ber boys will begin tournament play today in the Spa City Shootout at Hot Springs’ Summit Arena. The Wildcats (4-7) open at 2:30 p.m. against Hot Springs.
Har-Ber is led by senior Alex Rice (15.3 points per game).
“The Summit Arena is where the state finals were held and this will be a good opportunity for us to play in that type of venue,” Har-Ber coach Adam Simmons said.