Little Rock Hall's boys have played just two games in 2019, but the Warriors will get more than enough court time over the next three days when they host the Jammin' for Jackets Tournament at George Cirks Arena.
Baptist Prep (2-4) and Little Rock Fair (4-1) will open the event today at 4 p.m. before Hall (0-2) squares off against two-time defending tournament champion Mills (6-1) at 5:30 p.m. Little Rock Parkview (2-2) and Little Rock Central (2-1) follow at 7 p.m., and Bryant (4-1) and Little Rock McClellan (1-3) close out the first round at 8:30 p.m. As they have in the past, all games will be played in two, 16-minute halves with a 35-second shot clock.
Jammin’ for Jackets
George Cirks Arena, LR Hall
TODAY’S GAMES
GAME 1 Little Rock Fair vs. Baptist Prep, 4 p.m.
GAME 2 Little Rock Hall vs. Mills, 5:30 p.m.
GAME 3 Little Rock Parkview vs. Little Rock Central, 7 p.m.
GAME 4 Bryant vs. Little Rock McClellan, 8:30 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
GAME 5 Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 4 p.m.
GAME 6 Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 5:30 p.m.
GAME 7 Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 7 p.m.
GAME 8 Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
GAME 9 Loser of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6, 1 p.m.
GAME 10 Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6, 2:30 p.m.
GAME 11 Loser of Game 7 vs. Loser of Game 8, 4 p.m.
GAME 12 Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 8, 5:30 p.m.
According to Little Rock Hall Coach Jon Coleman, the tournament will offer his young team the opportunity to see how far it has come since losing 48-37 to Port Allen, La., on Nov. 29.
Coleman isn't sure how the Warriors will react because they've played just eight quarters of meaningful basketball.
"We lost eight seniors, four of which started, so we've started off slow," said Coleman, whose team also played Fort Smith Northside in a benefit game. "We do have two seniors who started at different times last year in Carlos Miller and Dylon Session, and two quality transfers in Brock Wesley and Ja'Core Williams. We also got Reginald Mayo back, who started out at Hall but played at Parkview last year.
"So it's just a matter of us developing chemistry. Once we do that, I think we'll be a good basketball team."
Coleman noted the Jammin' for Jackets hasn't gone Hall's way as of late, but it's generally helped the Warriors become a better team.
"It's never been indicative of the type of season we'll have, whether we've won or lost it," he said. "Last year, we went 1-2 and ended up playing in the state title game. We'll go out and compete well, but it's not a telltale of how a team will do during the course of the year."
NETTLETON GIRLS
More of the same
Jason Smith has gotten Nettleton girls basketball to a point where losing talented players to graduation is merely a bump in the road. Nowadays, the Lady Raiders are about reloading, and they've done that extensively this season.
Led by University of Arkansas signee Elauna Eaton, Nettleton is off to a 7-0 start after beating North Little Rock 63-46 last weekend to win the Great 8 Tournament. Eaton is averaging 24 points for the Lady Raiders, but it's her supporting cast that's drawing rave reviews from Smith.
"We lost five seniors, four of which received college scholarships," Smith said. "Of course, Elauna has just had a phenomenal start to the season, just does everything for us. But sophomore Briley Pena and senior point guard Travia Woodruff have been big for us. Wakiryah Daniels, a junior, has played really well, along with Daley [Dacus].
"So we're getting contributions from everywhere, and that's been huge."
MARION BOYS
Eye-opening start
Detrick Reeves has been a high-scoring guard throughout his career at Marion, but the senior has taken his game to such a level this season that Coach David Clark is shaking his head.
"He can be as good as he wants to be," Clark said. "We beefed up our schedule some, so it'll help get us ready for January, February and hopefully March, but in those games, Detrick showed everybody in the stands just how good he is."
Reeves, a 6-2, 185-pounder who holds scholarship offers from Missouri State, Arkansas State University and Southern Illinois, averaged 22 points per game as a junior but is averaging almost 30 points through the first four games this season for Marion (2-2).
His stock rose considerably during a two-game run at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest. Reeves had 28 points in Marion's 48-43 victory over Oak Cliff Family, Texas, on Nov. 29, then followed that up with a 34-point effort in an 82-79 loss to North Crowley, Texas.
"After that, coaches from all over started calling," Clark said. "He literally carried us in that second game. But he opened a lot of eyes down there."
MELBOURNE GIRLS
Lady Bearkatz rolling
If Melbourne continues to play the way it has throughout the first month of the season, the Lady Bearkatz may find themselves in a familiar spot in March.
Melbourne blitzed through Class 2A with a 30-4 record last season -- with 28 of those victories coming by double digits -- and cruised to its first state title since 1973.
This year, the Lady Bearkatz have been just as good. Melbourne is undefeated and has won six of its seven games by 16 points or more. It's closest outing came against Class 6A Springdale Har-Ber in a game the Lady Bearkatz won 46-39.
"We lost three kids, but we had some girls coming back, and they've played well," Melbourne Coach Eric Teague said. "They enjoy playing with each other and are working hard. We still have a ways to go, but they are a very competitive group of girls."
Melbourne, which has just one senior on its roster, has won 23 of its past 24 games and will take a 17-game winning streak into games against Rector and Bay next week prior to playing in the Pink and White Tournament in Springfield, Mo., from Dec. 26-30.
Sports on 12/12/2019