HOT SPRINGS -- The Class 7A high school boys basketball state championship game looks like a heavyweight title matchup.
In one corner stands Malik Monk, Bentonville's do-it-all junior guard who is among the most highly sought prospects in the nation. In the other corner is KeVaughn Allen, North Little Rock's senior guard who is orally committed to Florida and was the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps player of the year last season.
The two will square off at 11 a.m. today in front of what is expected to be an overflow crowd at Bank of the Ozarks Arena to watch one of the most anticipated state final matchups in recent years.
"Malik vs. KeVaughn," North Little Rock Coach Johnny Rice said. "It will be great fun."
Bentonville Coach Jason McMahan is just as eager to see how Monk fares against Allen.
"I can't wait to see how he plays with all of it on the line," McMahan said.
Allen, 6-3, 170 pounds, has led North Little Rock to two state titles on the court -- the school forfeited the 2014 title last month after it self-reported rules violation to the Arkansas Activities Association -- and is averaging just more than 28 points per game going into today's game, but Bentonville has to be worried about more than just Allen.
He is joined by classmates K.J. Hill, who has signed to play football at Ohio State, and Sam Dunkum as well as junior guard Adrian Moore. The four are part of what Rice calls a once-in-a-lifetime group.
"We've had some great players," Rice said. "When your best players are your most coachable, your most competitive kids, it's like a dream. It's the best scenario you can have as a coach."
Rice admits that it wasn't an easy thing to deal with when he learned North Little Rock's administration was forfeiting its 2014 state title, but he said the team has tried to move forward.
"I had to step back and tell myself, 'Don't get caught in all of that,' " Rice said. "Enjoy your team and what you've got and go from here with them and not worry about all of that. I had to coach my team and enjoy them.
"Three years with KeVaughn, I want to enjoy every second of that. He doesn't come around very often."
Monk, 6-4, 173 pounds, is averaging 27.0 points per game -- he scored 42 Monday in a semifinal victory over Van Buren -- and has scored 2,049 points for his career.
McMahan calls Monk the best guard in the country, and the list of colleges pursuing him backs up that statement. Monk already has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Connecticut and Kansas, among others.
"He attacks the basket," said McMahan, who has led the Tigers to their first state championship game appearance. "When he does that, he's unstoppable on the offensive end. He's a great defensive player when his mind is committed to that. He can stop other players and stop shots on that end, too."
Allen can fill up the basket when he wants to as well. He hit seven three-pointers on the way to scoring 33 points Monday in a 66-65 semifinal victory over Fayetteville.
Doors at Bank of the Ozarks Arena open at 9:30 a.m., an hour and a half before tipoff. The arena seats 6,200, and organizers said they expect a large crowd for the first of six state championship games that will be played today.
Large crowds have been common for Monk and Bentonville this season. The Tigers played in front of 10,500 at JHQ Arena in Springfield, Mo., earlier this year at the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Championships.
"The atmosphere won't have an affect on us or bother us," McMahan said. "It's more North Little Rock that we'll be focused on."
Sports on 03/14/2015