For the second consecutive year, both Hot Springs teams lead Garland County into state basketball tournaments with No. 1 seeds by their names.
The Trojans and Lady Trojans carry the county's lone top seeds for the second season in a row when state play begins today for classes 5A, 3A, and 1A and Wednesday for the rest (2A pushed back a day because of weather delays at the West Region). Each Hot Springs side, champion of the 5A-South conference, opens with the fourth seed from the 5A-West, the girls against Greenbrier at 1 p.m. Wednesday followed by the boys against Clarksville at 2:30 p.m. at Greene County Tech in Paragould -- weather permitting.
"After seeing today's practice, these guys are itching to play again. They can't wait," said Hot Springs boys coach Rodney Echols after what he hopes is not his final practice of the season. "They still have a bad taste in their mouths after losing in the second round to Harrison last year. We're a lot more seasoned now and a lot more mature."
The Trojans (21-5, 13-1) were led by a strong group of sophomores last season, now a year older as juniors. Heads of that class are guards Kajuan Christon and Trey Lenox, the latter a Division I prospect as a 6-foot-4 point guard with a scholarship offer from Arkansas-Little Rock.
Christon's younger brother, Exavian Christon, came up as a ninth-grader late last year, but with a full season of varsity experience under his belt, he has bloomed into another major-college prospect. The Christons and Lenox form Hot Springs' core, but the Trojans have much more firepower than just the trio.
Completing the current starting lineup are juniors K.J. Corder and Cleo Floyd, the latter the star running back and defensive back on this year's conference champion football team. Quarterback Anthony Goffigan and defensive end Quindell Smith are consistent contributors off the basketball bench, and top reserves Anthony Tate and Muntrelle Dobbins have each put up team-high scoring efforts during conference play.
Echols says his team's biggest strength is its depth, even over its quickness and athleticism. He hopes that depth, with more experience all around, can help the Trojans make a run deeper than the second round.
The Lady Trojans (22-4, 14-0) carry a 28-game conference winning streak, led mainly by the trio of three-year starting seniors Berniezha Tidwell, Tiaunna Watkins and Ashley Clayborn. The three have likely picked up their biggest addition in their final season, sophomore post Kiki Hunter forming a core four by averaging double-digit rebounds per contest.
Hot Springs is trying to reach the finals after falling a game short a year ago, 56-40 to Huntsville where the Lady Eagles shot well and the Lady Trojans shot poorly.
"If we shoot the ball well, and I know that's an obvious statement ... but if we're shooting the ball at a pretty decent percentage, I think we've got a pretty good shot at doing some things," Hot Springs girls coach Mark Upshaw said. "If we have a game where we struggle, then we have to rely on our defense. And the last few games, our defense has been pretty good. We've held almost all of our opponents to under 40, and the last few games, we've been 30 or less. Hopefully, we can put those two things together."
Both have incentive to reach the finals, which are March 12-14 just roughly three miles down the road at Bank of the Ozarks Arena. Both are also seeking their fourth state championships, each winning their third during the 1997-98 season.
"A state tournament hasn't been won around here since my dad (LaJuan Christon) won it '98," Kajuan Christon said. "We are very hungry to start our own legacy around here."
The county hasn't had a state basketball champion since Lake Hamilton's girls won in 2009. The last boys champion in the county was Lakeside in 2000, and the most recent finalists have been the Jessieville girls in 2013.
Half of the county's basketball teams qualified for state this year, and all are scheduled to start on Wednesday in the face of a forecast winter storm. Lake Hamilton (17-10, 7-7) is the fourth seed from the 6A-South, facing East third seed Mountain Home at 5:30 p.m. at Siloam Springs.
Joining Hot Springs' teams in Greene County are the Lakeside girls, seeded second from the 5A-South for their highest seeding during their run of three state appearances in five seasons. The Lady Rams (19-7, 11-3) face Vilonia, the third seed from the West, at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Both Jessieville teams qualified for state through the Class 3A Region 2 tournament at Rose Bud. The Lady Lions (21-9) are the region's third seed, taking on Region 1 second seed Paris at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Cossatot River High School in Wickes.
The Lions (22-10) lost twice in the Region 2 tournament, falling to a fourth seed. They face Region 1 winner Charleston at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Mountain Pine's girls round out Garland County's entries, qualifying fourth through the Class 2A East Region tournament at Mount Ida. The Lady Red Devils (11-13) face Mineral Springs, winner of the South Region, at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Pangburn.
Local on 03/03/2015