Talent Aplenty At Fayetteville Bulldog Classic

FAYETTEVILLE -- Don't be surprised if some knocking on wood takes place prior to the Fayetteville Bulldog Classic.

The tournament, now in the second year as a co-ed event, experienced a tough tussle with winter weather last year. The event was postponed from its early December scheduled date and made up in early January, forcing Fayetteville coaches Kyle Adams and Vic Rimmer to scramble to find replacement teams at the last minute.

Today, the latest installment of the Fayetteville Bulldog Classic is set to tip off, and both coaches are counting on clear skies and solid basketball this time around.

"We think we've got everything ready," said Rimmer, the Fayetteville girls' coach. "This is the first year we get to the do the full-fledged Bulldog Classic with guys and girls over three days. Something might go wrong, but if it does hopefully it will be something fixable right at that moment."

The Lady Bulldogs enter their own tournament in search of their first victory of the season, with losses to Conway and Greenwood to open the year. Fayetteville also looks to break a current losing streak in its own event, having not won the tournament since Rimmer arrived in the 2011-12 season.

"Obviously starting out 0-2 we want to get a victory," Rimmer said. "But this tournament is always tough. We haven't won it since I've been here.

"You start out with Springfield Hillcrest, and there's some other really good teams like Little Rock Central. I know coach (Jimmy) Dykes is interested in their big post player. So there's going to some quality teams and quality players in this field."

Fayetteville and Little Rock Central are the only two Class 7A teams in the tournament, but the girls' bracket also includes Class 6A teams Siloam Springs and Mountain Home. Another local team to keep an eye on is Class 5A Farmington, a state semifinalist a year ago in Class 4A.

"Farmington has a really, really good team," Rimmer said. "And the two Class 6A teams are so well coached. And then you've got Kevin Froud, who does such a good job at Prairie Grove."

Prairie Grove faces Mountain Home in today's opening round at 8:30 p.m. The winner will face either Fayetteville or Springfield Hillcrest. The Lady Bulldogs open the tournament today at 7 p.m.

"What we have here is quality programs and quality coaches," Rimmer said. "Coaching is not going to get anybody beat in this tournament. So everybody will be prepared and the quality of the tournament will not only be in the athleticism, but in the preparation."

Fayetteville, Springdale Face Tough Field

Both Fayetteville and Springdale High are entered in the boys' tournament this year. The field, which includes Missouri powers Springfield Kickapoo, Lee's Summitt West and Liberty, also added Little Rock Hall and Texarkana, Texas as replacement teams for this year's event.

"I'm real excited about what we've got coming in," Adams said. "I know Kickapoo and Lee's Summitt West are two of the top teams in Missouri. And Texarkana filled Tulsa McClain's spot and we're excited about that, because they're a quality program.

"And then we have Little Rock Hall fill Jenks, Oklahoma's spot. So whoever wins the tournament is going to earn it. You'll have to beat three quality opponents."

Fayetteville opens against Liberty, Mo. at 8:30 p.m. today. Springdale faces Texarkana, Texas at 4 p.m. today.

"We were in the same tournament as Texarkana at the Coke Classic last year," Springdale coach Brad Stamps said. "They're going to be athletic and they're going to put a lot of pressure on you.

"The big thing for us is we need to find out a lot about ourselves. We've got a lot of new guys out there on the floor. So definitely going to a tournament like this with quality teams like we'll face, we'll do a lot of growing up."

Sports on 12/04/2014