Once a perennial figure in the state boys basketball tournaments, Dollarway has taken at least four years just to make it back to the regional stage.
With the return comes a sense of urgency from players like senior center Prince Okojie.
“This is the first year [back in a regional]. We can’t get put out the first round,” Okojie said.
In more immediate terms, it’s taken the Cardinals 18 days just to play another game.
Dollarway (11-7, 10-4 in Conference 3A-6) didn’t have to play in a district tournament because every team finished its league schedule in a battle to stay on course against coronavirus-related interruptions. Shortly after the Feb. 14-17 snowstorms hit the state — when 3A-6 teams were off — the Arkansas Activities Association moved region and state tournaments back a week to allow teams to finish either the regular season or a district tourney, adding more time off for postseason qualifiers Dollarway, Central Arkansas Christian, Helena-West Helena Central and Jacksonville Lighthouse Charter School.
“It’s good so you can heal the injuries and get things done, make sure all the injuries are healed and everyone’s got the proper rest and everything,” fourth-year Coach James Jones said. “We need to be in that gym, but with Mother Nature’s welcome, there’s nothing we can do about that.”
While some teams either played or practiced in full, the weather and ensuing water pressure issues impacted Dollarway’s ability to work out with a full roster. Classes in the Dollarway School District went virtual during the past two weeks, and Jones said three players had to be transported from Altheimer to practice.
The Cardinals, who finished one game behind the tri-champions, hopes rustiness will not be an issue when they return to CAC’s gym in Little Rock to take on District 3A-5 tourney champion Baptist Prep (20-4, 12-2 in 3A-5) in the 3A Region 3 tournament.
“Everybody knows it’s win-or-go-home,” Okojie said. “Everybody’s putting everything to the side and buying into one thing. That’s to win and keep going.”
Every first-round winner in a regional tournament, held in classes 1A-4A, automatically qualifies for the state tournament, while each loser is finished for the season. The semifinals and finals are then used to determine state seeding.
Jones had prepared for Mayflower, which won the Conference 3A-5 title, but the added week allowed that league to field a district tournament, and Baptist Prep beat Mayflower 58-53 in the championship game. With the new game plan, Jones thinks the Cards match up well against Baptist Prep in terms of size.
“They just push the ball well and get up and down the court,” Jones said. “If we can keep the score in the 30s and 40s like we usually do — and we’re capable of scoring 50 — I think we’ll have a chance to pull off the upset.”
Zebras recovering from first 5A-South loss
Tonight, Pine Bluff (14-4, 12-1 in 5A-South) winds up a challenging yet rewarding boys basketball season at home against Texarkana.
Pauses due to covid-19 and winter weather put the Zebras in a race to finish their regular season. They were scheduled to play a conference tournament until the AAA pushed back its state playoffs, allowing conference administrators to vote on a plan to let the boys teams to complete their schedules.
The Zebras already have the conference championship in tow with a three-game lead over Lake Hamilton and Hot Springs Lakeside, but their 13-game winning streak was snapped Monday with a 61-52 loss at Lake Hamilton in Pearcy.
“I simply got outcoached,” fifth-year Zebras Coach Billy Dixon said. “I didn’t have my guys ready to play.”
Dixon said the Wolves “outplayed, outhustled and outrebounded” the Z’s, who typically control the glass. He also cited no enthusiasm on his team’s part, adding Lake Hamilton was “fired up” to play while Pine Bluff came out flat.
“[Monday] they were simply the better team,” Dixon said. “We were outscored. We must correct all of the above, or it will be a short postseason.”
3A REGION 3 TOURNAMENT
At Central Arkansas Christian, Little Rock; games listed in bracket order
BOYS
First round: Central Arkansas Christian (3A-6 champion) vs. Jessieville (3A-5 fourth place), 4:30 p.m. today; Mayflower (3A-5 second place) vs. Jacksonville Lighthouse (3A-6 third place), 4:30 p.m. Thursday; Baptist Prep (3A-5 champion) vs. Dollarway (3A-6 fourth place), 7:30 tonight; Helena-West Helena Central (3A-6 second place) vs. Lamar (3A-5 third place), 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Semifinals: CAC-Jessieville winner vs. Mayflower-Lighthouse winner, 4:30 p.m. Friday; Baptist Prep-Dollarway winner vs. HWH Central-Lamar winner, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Third place: Semifinal losers, 2 p.m. March 6
Championship: Semifinal winner, 6 p.m. March 6
4A SOUTH REGION TOURNAMENTS
At Star City; games listed in bracket order
BOYS
First round: Arkadelphia (4A-7 champion) vs. Camden Fairview (4A-8 fourth place), 1 p.m. today; Watson Chapel (4A-8 second place) vs. Hope (4A-7 third), 1 p.m. Thursday; Magnolia (4A-8 champion) vs. Nashville (4A-7 fourth place), 7 tonight; Fountain Lake (4A-7 second place) vs. Monticello (4A-8 third place), 7 p.m. Thursday
Semifinals: Arkadelphia-Camden Fairview winner vs. Watson Chapel-Hope winner, 1 p.m. Friday; Magnolia-Nashville winner vs. Fountain Lake-Monticello winner, 7 p.m. Friday
Third-place match: Semifinal losers, 1 p.m. Saturday
Championship: Semifinal winners, 7 p.m. Saturday
GIRLS
First round: Mena (4A-7 champion) vs. Crossett (4A-8 fourth place), 10 a.m. today; Watson Chapel (4A-8 second place) vs. Arkadelphia (4A-7 third place), 10 a.m. Thursday; Star City (4A-8 champion) vs. De Queen (4A-7 fourth place), 4 p.m. today; Nashville (4A-7 second place) vs. Camden Fairview (4A-8 third place), 4 p.m. Thursday
Semifinal: Mena-Crossett winner vs. Watson Chapel-Arkadelphia winner, 10 a.m. Friday; Star City-De Queen winner vs. Nashville-Camden Fairview winner, 4 p.m. Friday
Third place: Semifinal losers, 10 a.m. Saturday
Championship: Semifinal winners, 4 p.m. Saturday