1/5/22
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
As hard as it was at times, Alma boys basketball coach Dominic Lincoln can see a break in the clouds.
“I had a reporter tell me the other day we probably played the toughest nonconference schedule in history,” Lincoln said.
By design, Lincoln beefed up the program’s schedule and took his young Airedales to Benton, Hot Springs, and Sheridan. They lost by eight to 25-and-0 County Line; they gave Sylvan Hills all they could handle, too.
The Airedales (3-11) open 5A-West play Friday against Harrison.
“I think this prepared us for conference, which was the goal,” Lincoln said. “I told them after the Jacksonville game that we’re close. We’re a lot closer than we were.”
Sophomores Camden Curd and Israel Towns-Robinson lead the team in scoring with 13.5 and 12 points per game. Freshman Easton Boggs (11.9) and Miles Kendrick (8.6) are doing their part as well.
Curd and Carmani Smith are both averaging 2.5 assists per game. Towns-Robinson leads the team with 7.4 rebounds per game.
The Airedales, 0-7 to start the season, have won three of their last seven games, including last week’s 90-39 thrashing of Magnet Cove.
Except for losses to Benton (62-37) and Greene County Tech (54-26), the Airedales have been closer than the team’s record shows. The
“I think playing that tough nonconference schedule prepared us for conference,” Kendrick said.
“You could see the improvement throughout,” Lincoln said.
Russellville (12-3) opens league play in the midst of an eight-game winning streak. Lincoln said the Cyclones are the team to beat. “You have to go with them because they won it (5A-West) four years in a row,” he said. “I think Harrison will be right there, too. Hopefully, we’ll have something to say about it.”
Harrison (10-5), Siloam Springs (8-6), and Van Buren and Mountain Home (both 9-7) have winning records.
Greenbrier (6-7) and Greenwood (5-9) are both under .500.
In other 5A-West openers, Greenwood visits Russellville; Mountain Home travels to Siloam Springs; and Van Buren faces off against Greenbrier.
Lady Airedales
Alma girls coach Codey Mann believes his team is far better than the team’s 4-8 record shows. Alma lost two games to Mena and Shiloh Christian that could have swung the other way.
Senior Presli Taylor, who set the school’s 3-point record with a barrage of 3s at the Sheridan Classic, leads the Airedales in scoring with 12.8 points per game.
Greenwood and Russellville boast 13-2 and 13-3 records, respectively, and as luck would have it open conference against one another.
Mountain Home (9-7), Van Buren (8-7), and Siloam Springs are both at .500 or better.
Harrison (6-7) and Greenbrier (4-10) are under .500.