By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Regional basketball tournament officials are keeping their fingers crossed -- and maybe even their toes as well -- that the first round games postponed from Wednesday, can be played today.
Even though it appears the worst of the winter weather may be out of the state, getting the tournaments played remains a step-by-step, day-to-day decision making process.
Tournament officials as well as the Arkansas Activities Association, did not want to lose today.
Losing today as a game day would have meant a very long day on Friday because the next step would have called for all eight first-round games to be played Friday.
However, as of press time today, 19 of the 20 regional tournaments were a go for today, meaning four first-round games -- two boys and two girls -- will be played today in each regional and the remaining four first-round matchups will be played Friday. All four semifinal games will be played Saturday and the finals will be played Monday.
That includes the Class AA Region 4 and Region 6 tournaments, involving Palestine-Wheatley and Hughes.
Both the Hughes senior girls and senior boys will play today at the Region 4 tournament at Marmaduke, while both Palestine-Wheatley teams will be playing at the Region 6 Tournament at Harding Academy in Searcy.
The No. 4 seeded Lady Patriots are scheduled to play today while the Patriots will play Friday.
In the case of more inclement weather, Step 2 remains on the drawing board, according to Harding Academy Principal Mike Keese.
Step 3 would mean pushing back the start dates for the five state tournaments.
"We are trying our best not to have to push back the start date for any of the state tournaments," Keese said. "So, we are hopeful that we can get under way today."
All five state tournaments are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, March 4.
Since there are no regional tournaments needed for the Class AAAA and AAAAA state tournaments, those events are less likely to be delayed, but some of the schools will be forced to play twice in the next couple of days to determine their seedings.
All four of Tuesday's AAAAA-Central games were postponed while the final three AAAAA-East games were pushed back.
Forrest City and Jonesboro will make up their game tonight at Jonesboro, beginning at 6 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
When the Forrest City Mustangs take the floor tonight at Jonesboro, head coach Dwight Lofton won't have to look behind him to know who's breathing down his neck.
He knows all to well, it will be the proverbial "fat lady" sitting in the stands, not too many rows up, just waiting for her chance to sing.
Tonight's two-game set begins at 6 p.m. at Jonesboro.
If you're not following, tonight's scenario for Lofton's Mustangs, it is a simple one: Win and go to North Little Rock next week to play in the state tournament. Lose and stay home.
"She (the fat lady) hasn't started singing yet, but I can hear her tuning up," Lofton said. "We have to win. Period. No help, no nothing. We have to win."
This weeks winter weather that has left much of the state paralyzed, also postponed the game two days past its original Tuesday playing date.
"I don't know how the kids will react to having to wait two extra days," Lofton said. "They have been out of class but we were able to sneak in a couple of practices, so I'm hoping we will be ready when it comes time for the opening tip tonight."
Remember, the Mustangs are playing on Jonesboro's home floor.
No problem.
Lofton's Mustangs have won here before -- twice as a matter of fact.
So the seven-year coach knows it can be done.
Should Blytheville get the win over Searcy and Forrest City, the win over Jonesboro, all three teams will finish in a three-way tie at 8-6 in the league.
That will pave the way for all kinds of tie-breakers to determine the league's No. 3 and 4 seeds into the state tournament.
Should the Mustangs earn the No. 4 seed into the state tournament, they would play El Dorado in first-round action on Wednesday, March 5.
"We can't worry about what someone else is doing or trying to do," Lofton said. "We just need to take care of our own business."
The Lady Mustangs will finish fifth in the conference, missing the state tournament cut.
As the Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots and Hughes Lady Blue
Devils prepare to open play today in their respective regional
tournaments, one thing is certain - both teams are treading unfamiliar
waters.
While the Lady Patriots are seasoned veterans when it comes
to postseason play, it's been a while since the Lady Blue Devils
last tasted anything beyond the district tournament.
While the two teams have walked different paths the past few
seasons, this time around the two teams are very similar.
Both Palestine-Wheatley and Hughes are No. 4 seeds going into
Class AA regional tournament play today.
That means both teams will be facing No. 1 seeds in the first
round - and the tasks of getting a first-round win seem almost
insurmountable - at least on paper.
Both teams have played this season under new management as
each changed head coaches.
While the Lady Patriots have been to the regionals on almost
a yearly basis for the past decade, today's first-round game in
the Region 4 Tournament at Marmaduke, ends a four-year dry spell
for the Lady Blue Devils.
Under first-year coach John Bateman, the Lady Blue Devils finished
fourth in the 3AA South conference and split two games in the
district tournament, earning the No. 4 seed into the regionals.
The Hughes girls are one-game over .500 at 9-8 and can't finish
any worse that 9-9 for the year.
On the surface, that may not look like much, but considering the
Lady Blue Devils have not had a winning record since the 1997-98
season (the last time they advanced to the regionals) and are
14-70 in the four seasons since, this has to be considered a banner
year for the team.
"These girls have played hard all year and they have had
some fun," Bateman said. "I have enjoyed coaching them
and we have some talent coming back next year as well as some
talent coming up from the junior high ranks. I think if they keep
a good attitude and good work ethic, they have some winning seasons
ahead of them."
But first things first for Bateman's Lady Blue Devils. They
have to face and find a way to stop the top-seeded Marmaduke Lady
Greyhounds (35-2).
The Lady Greyhounds have won the 3AA-North district title six
consecutive times. They have won 16 of their last 17 games since
losing to Turrell in the NEA tournament and are looking for their
eighth straight regional tournament title.
Marmaduke lost to Greenland in the quarterfinals of last year's Class AA state tournament.
Last week, Marmaduke topped Bay 63-57 in the district finals while Hughes defeated Parkin in a first-round district game before losing to No. 7 Turrell.
Losing to Turrell is probably the only common thread between Bateman's Lady Blue Devils and Coach Matt Dean's Lady Greyhounds.
The two teams will take the floor at 4 p.m. today at Marmaduke.
Meanwhile, the Lady Patriots have made a habit of playing in the regional tournament each year and they have made a habit of being the No.1 seed -- consecutively for the past five seasons.
Going in as the fourth seed under first-year coach Lanny Allen, the Lady Patriots must face top-seeded Carlisle today at 7 p.m. in the Class AA Region 6 tournament being played at Harding Academy in Searcy.
Carlisle won the 2AA-South district title by knocking off Harding Academy in somewhat of an upset in the finals.
It is the second meeting between Palestine-Wheatley and Carlisle this season.
The two teams met in the Hazen Tournament in November with Carlisle taking a 53-32 win over the Lady Patriots.
Tonight's game will be much different -- especially for P-W.
Allen dismissed three players from the team -- all experienced starters -- last week during the district tournament.
He has called up six players from his junior high girls team as replacements.
The experience difference is certainly the key and the Lady Bison have to be considered the favorites going in.
Palestine-Wheatley ended the regular season at 14-8 overall but finished 11-1 in the 6AA conference, losing only to Altheimer, who won the district title and is the No. 1 seed into the regional tournament.
Two years ago, the lady Patriots defeated Carlisle in the regional tournament on their way to a 35-1 season and the Class AA state title. A year ago, at Harding, P-W defeated Hazen in the opening round of the regional before losing to Augusta and missing the state tournament cut.
The Hughes Blue Devils, the top-seeded team from the 3AA South district, will open regional tournament play today at 8:30 p.m., when they take on No. 4 seeded Maynard in the Region 4 tournament at Marmaduke.
Hughes won the district title last week by defeating Marked Tree 83-82 in the semifinals and Crawfordsville 66-63 in the finals. The Blue Devils are 16-5 overall for the year.
The No. 2 seeded Palestine-Wheatley Patriots will open Friday at Harding Academy when they take the floor against the host team, Harding Academy at 5:30 p.m.