The league-leading Bryant Hornets can clinch an outright 6A-Central Conference championship, the No. 1 seed to the State tournament, and the first-round bye that goes with it with a victory over the pre-season favorite North Little Rock Charging Wildcats tonight at the Hornets’ Nest.
In addition, tonight’s game is the last one at home. Bryant’s seniors on both the Hornets and Lady Hornets teams along with the track teams will be honored.
For the Hornets, those seniors are Rodney Lambert and Ren Hefley.
For the Lady Hornets, the seniors include Robyn Gordon, Allison Steen and Kalia Walker.
The Hornets enter 11-1 in conference play, including 11 wins in a row. They’re 20-4 overall and winners of 17 of their last 18.
Bryant’s boys are ranked No. 2 in the state and No. 1 in Class 6A by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette but No. 3 in the state and 2 in Class 6A by MaxPreps. The Hornets are coming off a 49-33 win at Cabot on Friday.
North Little Rock is ranked No. 4 in the state and No. 2 in Class 6A by the Democrat-Gazette but No. 2 in the state and No. 1 in Class 6A by MaxPreps. The Charging Wildcats defeated Fort Smith Northside, 65-64 in overtime on Friday.
When they met before, it was at North Little Rock on Jan. 22. Bryant won 73-56.
In the girls’ contest, North Little Rock is coming off a big win over league-leading Fort Smith Northside, 70-64, in overtime. It was the first loss of the season for Northside. The Lady Cats are fighting to improve on their No. 3 seeding while the Lady Hornets, a 49-29 victor at Cabot, could nail down a 4 seed if they could pull the upset.
At North Little Rock, the Lady Cats pinned an 83-54 loss on Bryant, one of just four losses the Lady Hornets have suffered by more than 5 points.
North Little Rock is 15-9 overall and 9-3 in league play, still behind Northside as well as Conway. Bryant is 15-8 overall and 6-6 against the conference.
Danny Highfill
Go Bryant. Don’t let up