BENTONVILLE -- The schedule Bentonville's boys basketball team will face this season is definitely unlike anything the Tigers have seen in the past few years.
"I don't know where we have an easy game anywhere," coach Jason McMahan said. "The schedule is basically a national schedule, and it's hard. For us, the key will be the day-to-day focus of what's next for this team."
Bentonville Tigers
Date^Opponent^Time
Nov. 20^Conway (benefit)^4 p.m.
Nov. 29^St. Louis (Mo.) Chaminade^TBA
Citizens Bank Classic (Van Buren)
Dec. 2^Morrilton^8:30 p.m.
Dec. 3/4^TBD^TBD
Dec. 6^TBD^TBD
Dec. 9^at Alma^7:30 p.m.
City Of Palms Classic (Ft. Myers, Fla)
Dec. 19^Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler^7:45 p.m.
Dec. 20^TBD^TBD
Dec. 22^TBD^TBD
Dec. 23^TBD^TBD
Jan. 9^at Fort Smith Southside*^7:30 p.m.
Jan. 13^Fort Smith Northside*^7:30 p.m.
Bass Pro Shop Tournament Of Champions (Springfield, Mo.)
Jan. 15^TBA^TBA
Jan. 16^TBD^TBD
Jan. 17^TBD^TBD
Jan. 20^at Springdale High*^7:30 p.m.
Jan. 23^Rogers High*^7:30 p.m.
Jan. 27^at Rogers Heritage^7:30 p.m.
Jan. 30^Fayetteville*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 3^Springdale Har-Ber*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 6^Fort Smith Southside*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 10^at Fort Smith Northside*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 13^at Springdale Har-Ber*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 17^Springdale High*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 20^at Rogers High*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 24^Rogers Heritage*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 27^Fayetteville*^7:30 p.m.
- — 7A-West Conference game
The emergence of 6-foot-4 guard/forward Malik Monk, one of the top juniors nationally, and a hearty cast around him has given Bentonville some attention throughout the country. The Tigers drew invitations to two prestigious tournaments -- the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., just before Christmas, and the Bass Pro Shop Tournament of Champions, which takes place in January in Springfield, Mo.
Add teams like St. Louis Chaminade, which comes to Tiger Arena after Thanksgiving, and others Bentonville could face this season, and some might think the Tigers might have bitten off more than they could chew. McMahan, on the other hand, thinks otherwise.
"When we signed up for those games, we thought we can win those games and compete in those games, or we wouldn't have done it," McMahan said. "We also think it will help us get better and be a real good team that has a chance to improve from those games.
"That's the point of those games -- to improve so by the time we get to conference play, the speed of the game won't be faster. The pressure won't be any more, and when we get to the playoffs, we will be ready by playing that high level of team. There won't be anything we haven't seen, based on the nonconference schedule we have set up for us."
Monk, who averaged 22.7 points and 4.6 rebounds and led Bentonville to a share of the 7A-West Conference title and its second straight trip to the Class 7A state tournament semifinals, garners plenty of attention, but he has a veteran supporting cast, too. Junior Tyler Robinson and senior Daniel Head are returning starters from last year's team that finished 19-7 last year, and Ben Smith also saw significant action last year.
They will be joined by some youngsters that will give the Tigers a good mix of youth and experience. Jordan Hemphill, who played as a freshman in the state tournament, is expected to play a big role this season, while McMahan also sees good things from Trent Carter and Hunter Loy.
"The makeup of the team changed a good bit -- not totally, but definitely a change," McMahan said. "We have guys that will definitely be familiar when you think about Malik, Tyler, Ben and Daniel, then we have four guys that will be brand new to people's conscience.
"I think we will be on the more experienced side. There is a mixture of youth with a Jordan Hemphill, but even he got a little bit of state tournament action. That was all strategic for him because we knew he would have a role on this team this year. I think our senior class is so good at being able to do all the things we want to do in our basketball program that we have experience."
"I think we have better chemistry this year. The players have become better, and I think that experience factor is going to be the key to all that. Most of all, I think we are a better team than maybe we were last season. We filled the holes from within, with guys who were already in the program and have worked hard in JV basketball and guys that worked hard in junior high basketball and guys who have worked hard in the offseason."
Sports on 11/16/2014