Time isn’t of the essence for the Dumas Bobcats, and Coach Larry Harris is completely fine with that.
Dumas, Class 3A’s top-ranked team, is off to its best start in 11 years and playing at a level that hasn’t been seen out of the Desha County school in recent years. That alone is enough for Harris to savor the moment because he feels this year’s team has a shot at accomplishing something that hasn’t been done by the Bobcats since 1994 — win a state title.
“We’re just taking it one game at a time,” said Harris, whose mother, Glory Slater, is the girls’ long-time coach. “This team is so deep, so talented. I’ve never had a team like this. We’ve got high expectations for ourselves after what happened to us last year.
“So we have to take it slow, game by game. This may just be the team to get us back in the state championship game, but you never know. You don’t get these kinds of chances very often, and we don’t want to waste this one.”
The Bobcats (15-1, 7-0 3A-8) have been nothing short of impressive this season thanks to a wealth of depth. Led by seniors Chris Harris and D.J. Russell, Dumas has won 12 games by 10 or more points and captured two tournament titles, including the Cornerstone Bank Holiday Hoops Classic in which it beat Class 4A teams Shiloh Christian and Berryville. The Bobcats, who share the school’s best 16-game start with the 2008-09 team that reached the Class 4A title game, also have knocked off Class 5A El Dorado and Class 2A No. 3 England.
Harris noted that he has a deep enough bench that any of his 10 regulars could start. Chris Harris, his son and a four-year veteran, is the team’s leading scorer, but several Bobcats have paced them in scoring at one point or another.
“[Tamarja] Parker, a junior, is crazy on the boards,” he said. “You look up against Dollarway and Drew Central, and he’s got 22 points and 11 rebounds, 19 points and 11 rebounds. Kylin James, who’s a big-time running back, Daylen Davis, Jalen Green, all those guys are juniors who can have big games at any time.
“And then I’ve got a freshman in Michael Reddick who had 21 points against DeWitt. We’ve got a whole lot of firepower, and that makes it tough for teams to guard us.”
However, Harris stopped short of branding his team unstoppable. Their lone loss this year was at Bastrop, La., 64-62, but he can point to last season’s 77-67, upset defeat to Rison in the district tournament as a reminder that anything is possible. The loss kept the Bobcats from playing in the state tournament.
“We’d just beaten them that previous Thursday by 30,” said Harris. “They came back that following Wednesday and just beat us. They had a great night, and we didn’t. We’ve had a long offseason to think about that. It was a terrible feeling.
“But you always try to find a situation that fits yours to motivate your kids. What I tell them is to remember Virginia because they were upset by a No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament and came back the next year to win the whole thing. So they’ve come back this year with fire in their eyes and are locked in on the goal at hand.”
MOUNTAIN VIEW GIRLS
No reason to panic
Despite watching his team’s 14-game winning streak come to an end Jan. 14 at Rose Bud, Mountain View Coach Casey Scribner wasn’t too concerned.
“I’m a normal kind of coach,” he said. “We may win a lot of games, but I don’t really keep up with that. I’d rather keep up with how many times we lose.”
Those losses have been few and far between for the defending Class 3A state champions. Mountain View (17-2, 7-1 3A-1 East) responded to that 54-51 loss to the Lady Ramblers with three consecutive victories. Scribner admits that things haven’t been easy for Mountain View this season. Aside from having a target on their backs from teams within their conference, the Lady Yellowjackets were forced to play without one of their top players (junior Aubrey Isbell) for an extended period of time because of an ankle injury.
“It’s been pretty up and down, kind of like a roller coaster just like everyone else I’m sure,” he said. “But the thing is, we still have a lot of talent. They’ve won a lot of games and know how to win.”
Scribner mentioned that sophomore forward Josie Storey has stepped up her play, particularly in Isbell’s absence. Isbell, an all-state pick who scored a game-high 24 points in the championship game against Atkins last season, did return to help Mountain View whip Clinton 58-36 on Tuesday, but Storey’s emergence has only made the Lady Yellowjackets that much better.
“We’ve got a lot of size, we’re pretty athletic, and we’re still really competitive,” he said. “That’s kind of what’s pushed us through these last few games. We know it’s not going to be any easier, though, but Mountain View is a different spot.
“There’s a winning tradition here, and they feel like every time they step on the floor, they’re going to win. That allows them to play with a little bit of a different chip on their shoulder.”
IZARD COUNTY BOYS
Champs are still here
There isn’t much that Izard County has done this season that’s surprised Coach Kyle McClandis, but even he had to confess he was taken aback by what he saw three days ago in a 78-40 victory over Calico Rock.
“We played a key conference game, and shoot, I ain’t gonna lie, we looked really, really good,” he said.
The Cougars have practically looked good all season while navigating through a schedule no other Class 1A team can boast. Izard County (25-5, 13-0 1A-2) has faced teams from all six classifications, including Class 6A’s Bryant and Springdale Har-Ber, and split four games during the prestigious Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
“I think coming back from the tournament in South Carolina really helped these guys,” McClandis said. “It’s one of those things where we knew the potential that our team had, but we wanted to give them every experience possible. That way, when it comes postseason time, our kids would’ve basically gone through everything.
“They know what it takes, and playing that schedule has made us just a better overall team.”
Izard County hasn’t lost to a 1A school since its 71-66 setback to Guy-Perkins during the title game in 2018. Since then, the Cougars have reeled 50 in a row over teams in their class and have rarely been challenged in doing so. Izard County will face St. Joe, a team it beat by 20 earlier in the year, tonight before being tested at Viola next Tuesday. The Longhorns gave the Cougars their toughest 1A game this season in an 83-73 loss Dec. 3.
“There are times where it’s hard to get motivated, but they always show up,” McClandis said of his group. “They don’t ever take it for granted. They like knowing there’s pressure on the line.
“People are going to give us their best shot each game, but we stay with that shark mentality. We’re going to make teams have to beat us.”
CENT. ARK. CHRISTIAN GIRLS
57 and still going
Central Arkansas Christian is anxious to make a run at another state championship, but the Lady Mustangs have a short-term goal they’d like to take care of first.
CAC (18-3, 7-0 3A-5), ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, has won 57 consecutive conference games heading into tonight’s rematch against Mayflower. The last time the Lady Mustangs lost a league matchup was on Jan. 29, 2016, when Riverview hung on to win 49-41 on the road when both were members of Class 4A.
“I try not to jinx them, but they’re definitely aware of it,” CAC Coach Steve Quattlebaum said. “So far, so good, though. We’ve got four starters back from last year, so they have lots of experience. But they’ve all watched a lot of good basketball teams here over the years.
“When they got here, they just kind of fit right in and understand what we expect of them.”
The Lady Mustangs have won all 21 of its district games since dropping down to Class 3A last season but received a huge scare last week at Baptist Prep. The teams were tied at 54-54 late in the game, but leading scorer Bethany Dillard scored CAC’s final six points as it escaped with a 60-55 victory.
“We’re not always as good as we need to be on defense,” Quattlebaum said. “We’re working on that and trying to get a little better each game. But our attitude has been really good.
“We had kind of a sour end to last year when we got beat in the state tournament as a No. 1 seed in the first round, and that’s kind of motivated them. Hopefully, we can keep things rolling.”
Feline beatings
Dumas is off to its best 16-game stretch
start since 2009, and the Bobcats have
picked up 12 victories by double figures.
Here’s a look at the team’s Dumas has
beaten by 10 or more points this season:
Green Forest........................................ 44
Hamburg.............................................. 39
DeWitt.................................................. 35
Rison.................................................... 34
Helena-West Helena............................ 20
Lake Village.......................................... 15
Shiloh Christian................................... 15
Crossett................................................ 13
Berryville.............................................. 13
Drew Central........................................ 11
McGehee.............................................. 11
England................................................ 10