The basketball teams in the Northwest Arkansas Conference will have a different twist on their season in 2014.
Like football in the fall, the teams will be broken up into divisions, but instead they will be North and South, not East and West.
BOYS
OVERALL
Springdale Southwest 6-1
Fayetteville Woodland 5-2
Fayetteville Ramay 5-3
Rogers High 5-3
Bentonville Black 6-4
Siloam Springs 5-4
Springdale Central 4-4
Springdale Lakeside 4-4
Bentonville Gold 2-5
Springdale George 2-5
Rogers Heritag 1-9
TODAY’S GAMES
Harrison at Woodland
Fort Smith Kimmons at Ramay
Van Buren at Rogers High
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Woodland at Kenny Whitson Tourney, Fort Smith
Southwest at Kenny Whitson Tourney, Fort Smith
Gold at Kenny Whitson Tourney, Fort Smith
Ramay at Greenwood
Shiloh Christian at Lakeside
Rogers High at Black
Rogers Heritage at Harrison
Alma at Siloam Springs
GIRLS
OVERALL
Fayetteville Woodland 8-0
Bentonville Gold 7-1
Fayetteville Ramay 7-1
Rogers High 5-2
Springdale Southwest 3-3
Springdale George 3-3
Springdale Central 4-4
Bentonville Black 4-5
Rogers Heritage 4-7
Siloam Springs 2-7
Springdale Lakeside 0-8
TODAY’S GAMES
Woodland at Harrison
Fort Smith Kimmons at Ramay
Van Buren at Rogers High
Gold at McDonald Co., Mo.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Woodland at Kenny Whitson Tourney, Fort Smith
Southwest at Kenny Whitson Tourney, Fort Smith
Gold at Kenny Whitson Tourney, Fort Smith
Ramay at Greenwood
Shiloh Christian at Lakeside
Black at Rogers High
Rogers Heritage at Harrison
Alma at Siloam Springs
Fayetteville and Springdale junior highs comprise the South Division, while the Rogers and Bentonville junior highs, along with Siloam Springs, are a part of the North Division.
Each team will play teams inside its division twice, and a team from the other division only once. Only the final 10 games count toward the standings that determine the conference champion and seeding for the regional tournament.
“There’s pros and cons,” Ramay boys coach Jordan Rose said. “I like that it allows us more games in the early season to develop depth and a team identity. But with only the last 10 games counting, it makes winning a conference championship tougher and devalues early season success.”
Rose and his Indians won the conference crown a year ago, but lost to Springdale George in the regional tournament semifinals.
“Our goals are the same as they’ve been for the last few years,” Rose said. “We want to win all our home games, be conference champions, and win the regional tournament. We have come up a little short of accomplishing all three in the same season, but feel like if we continue to prepare well, play together and a have a positive attitude and effort, then we have an opportunity to achieve those goals.”
Ramay will be led by Braeden Williams, John Barnes and Bradon Simon. Williams quarterbacked the gridiron Indians to a second place finish in the West Division in the fall.
Heading into tonight’s games, Springdale Southwest currently leads the boys standings as the Cougars have only suffered a single loss. Veteran coach Steve Price has a variety of pieces in his arsenal, including eighth grader Tevin Eckwood, the younger brother of Springdale point guard Tereke Eckwood.
Woodland is a game behind the Cougars thanks to a 16-point victory over
Springdale Central on Friday, while the Indians defeated Clarksville by 30 in Dardanelle on Saturday to move into a tie for third with Rogers High.
On the girls side, Ramay also won the conference a year ago, finishing off a 26-1 campaign with a regional championship victory.
“As we move further into conference we have to really commit defensively,” Ramay girls coach Liz Caudle said. “The conference is full of talented teams, and we have to be able to get stops to play our tempo. The girls are working really hard and hopefully we can put it all together as we approach this part of the season.”
The Lady Indians will be paced by Ashley Breathitt, who Caudle calls the motor of the team.
“She does a good job filling a variety of roles each game,” Caudle said. “Our post players, Gabby Terminella, Precious Brown and Peanut Brown are starting to establish themselves inside. And our young kids, Tiya Douglas and Kaly Atienza, are really accepting tough defensive challenges and attacking on offense.”
Other players expected to contribute for Caudle are Nadia Salley and Maddy Fultz, who are giving Ramay solid minutes off the bench.
Ramay is near the top of the standings so far, in a tie for second with Bentonville Gold behind league leading Woodland, which is undefeated.
The Lady Cowgirls defeated Springdale Central the other night, while Gold upended Carthage, Mo. Regional standings games begin Jan. 16, and conclude on Feb. 20.
Siloam Springs will host the 7A West Regional Tournament, which will take place Feb. 26-March 1.