• Though it wasn't widely reported, the Cabot Lady Panthers basketball team traveled to Van Buren on Thursday, Feb. 26, and lost to the Pointerettes, 55-36. That means that the Bryant Lady Hornets finished in a tie for second place in the 7A-Central Conference. Both Bryant and Cabot finished 10-4 in league play. But Cabot retains the No. 2 seed for the State Tournament and the first-round bye that goes with it having the tiebreaker advantage over the Lady Hornets. In head-to-head competition, Cabot defeated the Lady Hornets in Bryant, 69-61, while Bryant won at Cabot, 69-66.
Bryant is 19-6 overall, Cabot 20-7. Both finished behind North Little Rock, 22-3 and 14-0. Little Rock Central (14-12, 7-7) is fourth, Conway (15-11, 6-8) fifth and Van Buren (14-13, 6-8) sixth.
As the No. 3 seed, the Lady Hornets will open State play on Wednesday, March 4, at 4 p.m., against Springdale Har-Ber which finished sixth after losing to crosstown rival Springdale on Friday, Feb. 27, 36-32. Har-Ber brings a 10-18 overall record to State. Springdale (14-12), as the No. 5, seed will play Central in the first round.
Undefeated Fayetteville (29-0) is the top seed in the West. Rogers (22-5) is second, Fort Smith Northside (20-6) third and Bentonville (16-11) fourth. Northside will open against Van Buren, Bentonville against Conway.
The Class 7A State Tournament is being held at the Stubblefield Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.
• The Bryant Hornets baseball team was rained out on Friday night when they were scheduled to host the Lake Hamilton Wolves. At first, the game was re-scheduled for 10 a.m. this morning but the game was called off. The Hornets were set to return to action this evening at 5:30 in the third-place game at the Benton Panthers Invitational Tournament. Bryant will play Little Rock Catholic.
• A players clinic, sponsored by the Bryant Athletic Association, is scheduled for Saturday, March 7, will be held at the Bryant High School field. The BAA's preseason youth tournament starts on March 26. Opening ceremonies and team photos are scheduled for Saturday, April 18. That's also the day that candy money is due for those participating in the organization's fund raiser.
