SPRINGDALE -- Springdale Har-Ber coach Scott Bowlin looks forward to seeing someone make a play in the clutch to help the Wildcats win.
That didn't happen much last year for Har-Ber (12-14, 4-10 7A-West), which finished with another losing season despite being close in several games.
At A Glance
Springdale Har-Ber Wildcats
Date^Opponent^Time
Nov. 24^at Mena^7:30 p.m.
Dec. 2-6^at Republic, Mo. Tournament^TBD
Dec. 12^at Wynne^7:30 p.m.
Dec. 13^at Forrest City^7:30 p.m.
Dec. 19^Southhaven, Miss.^6 p.m.
Dec. 20^Forrest City^7:30 p.m.
Dec. 29-31^Poplar Bluff, Mo., Tournament
Jane. 3^East Poinsett County^11 a.m.
Jan. 9^at Rogers*^7:30 p.m.
Jan. 13^Springdale*^7:30 p.m.
Jan. 16^at Bentonville*7:30 p.m.
Jan. 20^at Fayetteville*7:30 p.m.
Jan. 23^Fort Smith Southside*7:30 p.m.
Jan. 27^at Fort Smith Northside*7:30 p.m.
Jan. 30^Rogers Heritage*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 3^at Bentonville*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 6^Rogers*7:30 p.m.
Feb. 10^at Springdale*7:30 p.m.
Feb. 13^Bentonville*7:30 p.m.
Feb. 17^Fayetteville*^7:30 p.m.
Feb. 20^at Fort Smith Southside*7:30 p.m.
Feb. 24^Fort Smith Northside*7:30 p.m.
Feb. 27^at Rogers Heritage*7:30 p.m.
March 5-7^Class 7A State Tournament*TBD
- Denotes 7A-West Conference game
"We never could make a play at the right time," said Bowlin, who begins his second year as boys coach at Har-Ber. "It wasn't that the kids weren't trying, we just couldn't do it for whatever reason."
Har-Ber will have more weapons this season with two returning starters and three transfers who will make an immediate impact. Leading scorer Mason Cline is back along with JP Brandon, who showed much promise as a sophomore starter. Cline led the Wildcats with 12 points per game while Brandon averaged 9 points and 6 rebounds.
"We expect a lot of things from JP as a carryover from last year," Bowlin said. "He's improved tremendously and he's picked up about 30 pounds. He's increased his range this fall to where he's making shots from the perimeter area.
"Mason, I think, is as good a shooter as anyone in the 7A-West. He's picked up some strength as well and shown he can get to the rim and finish. He's been here and he'll provide the leadership that we need."
Har-Ber's chances at its first winning season in at least five years grew with the addition of three transfers. Senior Tereke Eckwood will take over at point guard after he helped Springdale High reach the state championship game last year in Class 7A. Eckwood said he was motivated to transfer so he can play with his brother, Tevin Eckwood, who'll be a freshman for Har-Ber.
Eckwood will be joined in the lineup by Avery Benson, a transfer from Siloam Springs, and 6-8 center Mason McNee, who transferred from Bentonville. Benson averaged 13 points last year at Siloam Springs while Eckwood produced 12 points and 2.9 assists per game for Springdale High.
Eckwood, McNee, and Benson are all receiving interest from small colleges, including Division II champion Central Missouri State.
"We've got a lot of new faces, so we've got to develop some chemistry," said Bowlin, who led Greene County Tech to two state championships. "We have a lot of questions that won't be answered until we start playing."
Har-Ber will open the season Nov. 24 at Mena. Har-Ber will travel extensively, especially in December when the Wildcats play at Wynne and Forrest City and participate in a tournament at Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Har-Ber's first conference game is at Rogers on Jan. 9.
"We've got to break this circle and get back in the state tournament," Bowlin said of the Wildcats, who will host the 7A State Tournament in March. "Once you get there, anything goes and you can get hot at the right time. We'd like to be one of those teams."
Sports on 11/16/2014