The 2015-16 basketball season officially gets underway for the Bryant High School teams when they travel to play arch-rival Benton tonight. The girls game begins at 6 p.m., with the boys game starting around 7:30 p.m., at Panthers Arena.
In the boys game, the Hornets return all but one player from last season when they went 14-13, earned the No. 2 seed from the Central Conference before losing a heartbreaker to Rogers Heritage, 52-48 in the first round of the Class 7A State Tournament. They’re led by senior Kevin Hunt and juniors Calvin Allen and Romen Martin, all three-year starters.
The Panthers, led by Arkansas State University signee Jake Scoggins, a 6-9 post and a former Hornet, also return three-point gunner Westin Riddick from a team that went 15-13 and, as a 5 seed from the 6A-South suffered a tough 58-46 loss to Russellville in the first round of the Class 6A Tournament.
Benton won both of last year’s games over Bryant, 55-45 and 54-48.
The Lady Hornets graduated their top two scorers from last season when they went 15-13 with a 7A State Tournament win in overtime over Bentonville before losing to Little Rock Central. Sophomore Raija Todd and seniors Emily Ridgell and Rachael Miller return as starters.
The Lady Panthers were 16-14 last season and, as a 4 seed to the 6A State Tournament, won an opening round game over Marion, 58-50, before being knocked out by eventual champion Greenwood, 55-54.
The two teams split their games against each other last season. Benton won at Bryant 39-35 then Bryant won at Benton 41-34.
