The 3A-4 basketball conference just got a lot tougher.
The Arkansas Activities Association released the new conference alignments last week for the next two-year cycle, and the biggest changes involving River Valley schools were in the 3A-4.
The conference goes to a nine-team league with the addition of Lamar, which moves in from the 3A-5, and Subiaco Academy, which drops down in classification from the 4A-4 Conference.
Lamar went to the semifinals of the Class 3A Region 1 Tournament this past season, finishing 24-9. The Warriors will return two of the top players in the conference in Ben Noonan and Kendrick Carr.
Subiaco Academy shared the 4A-4 Conference title with Morrilton this past season, won the 4A-4 District Tournament and lost to Farmington in the Region Tournament championship game before losing in the Class 4A state tournament to Warren in the first round. The Trojans finished 28-3 overall.
Hackett, which shared the 3A-4 Conference championship with Charleston, drops down to the 2A-4 to join Johnson County Westside, Mountainburg and Future School. Class 3A All-State and All-Tournament selection Hayden Foster will return for his senior at Hackett.
Mansfield also joins the 3A-4 Conference after successful seasons. The Lady Tigers played for the Class 2A championship, losing to Mount Vernon-Enola and finishing 32-1. The Tigers won the district tournament title.
The 6A-West remains unchanged and remains a nine-team conference. However, the schedule will change with the 16-game double round-robin schedule beginning the first Saturday of the new year in January and features a week that consists of three games for some teams, depending on the open week.
The 5A-West sees only one change with Farmington moving in to replace Greenbrier. Both Farmington girls and boys have been very competitive of late with the Cardinals going to the Class 4A championship game last year and losing to Little Rock Christian, which also moves up to Class 5A. The Lady Cardinals won the Class 4A championship, finishing 37-1 and as the No. 1 team in the state just ahead of Greenwood in the statewide Arkansas Sports Media Poll.
Clarksville, Ozark and Waldron remain in the 4A-4. Both the Clarksville boys and Waldron boys and girls teams will feature new coaches next season.
Scranton stays in the 1A-4, but the conference takes on a whole new look with County Line, Mulberry and Saint Paul moving over from the 1A-1-West and Magazine dropping from the 2A-4. The Scranton Rockets finished 29-8 this past season with County Line finishing 28-13.
Lamar's Kendrick Carr goes up for a dunk against Hackett on Tuesday Feb. 27, 2024 during the Class 3A State Basketball Tournament in Elkins. Lamar will move into the 3A-4 Conference next season. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)More News
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Northside
Southside
Fayetteville
Springdale
Springdale Har-Ber
Rogers
Rogers Heritage
Bentonville
Bentonville West
5A-WEST
Alma
Greenwood
Van Buren
Farmington
Harrison
Mountain Home
Russellville
Siloam Springs
4A-4
Ozark
Waldron
Clarksville
Dardanellle
Mena
Pottsville
3A-4
Booneville
Cedarville
Charleston
Cossatot River
Lamar
Lavaca
Mansfield
Paris
Subiaco Academy
2A-4
Acorn
Danville
Future School
Hackett
Hector
Johnson County Westside
Mountainburg
1A-4
County Line
Magazine
Mulberry
Oark
Saint Paul
Scranton
Western Yell County