By Rob Patrick
The Bryant High School varsity basketball teams will try to continue their respective climbs[more] up the 7A/6A-Central Conference ladders this evening when they host their counterparts from Van Buren.
Tipoff for the girls game is 6 p.m., with the boys game to follow around 7:45. With realignment next season, it will probably be the last time the two schools compete against each other on the basketball court for a while.
Both Bryant teams come into the game off back-to-back wins that have thrust them into third place in the conference. In their previous meeting in Van Buren, the Lady Hornets surprised the Lady Pointers, 49-46, after the Van Buren team came in with a sparkling 13-2 record. So far, the Lady Pointers are 4-4 in league play and hoping to pull even with Bryant in the standings by returning the favor.
The shoe was on the other foot in the boys game in Van Buren. Bryant came in riding the wave of winning the Spa City Shootout championship and its conference opener in impressive fashion over Little Rock Catholic. Meanwhile, the Pointers had posted a .500 record and lost their league lid-lifter to Little Rock Central. Van Buren proceeded to knock off the Hornets, 52-48.
That was one of three conference losses Bryant has suffered by 5 points or less. A win this time coupled with a loss by Conway to second-place North Little Rock would thrust the Hornets into sole possession of third place in the conference.
Of course, at the end of the season, Central Conference members Van Buren and Russellville will compete in the Class 6A State Tournament with East powers Little Rock Hall and West Memphis mixing in with the remaining Central teams for seeded to the 7A State tourney. Power ratings will determine seeding.
Here are the current Central standings and the upcoming schedules:
7A/6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE
2011-12 standings
Boys
Conf. Overall
Russellville 7-1 16-5
No. Little Rock 6-2 15-5
Conway 4-4 14-7
BRYANT 4-4 12-8
Cabot 3-5 12-5
Van Buren 3-5 10-11
LR Central 3-5 8-11
LR Catholic 2-6 3-10
Friday, Feb. 3
Bryant 40, LR Catholic 37
Conway 49, Cabot 39
Van Buren 57, LR Central 48
North Little Rock 44, Russellville 39
Tuesday, Feb. 7
Van Buren at Bryant
LR Catholic at Cabot
Conway at North Little Rock
Russellville at LR Central
Friday, Feb. 10
Bryant at Russellville
North Little Rock at Cabot
LR Central at Conway
Van Buren at LR Catholic
Tuesday, Feb. 14
Conway at Bryant
Cabot at LR Central
LR Catholic at North Little Rock
Russellville at Van Buren
Friday, Feb. 17
Bryant at Cabot
Van Buren at Conway
Russellville at LR Catholic
LR Central at North Little Rock
Tuesday, Feb. 21
North Little Rock at Bryant
Cabot at Van Buren
Conway at Russellville
LR Central at LR Catholic
Friday, Feb. 24
Bryant at LR Central
Russellville at Cabot
LR Catholic at Conway
Van Buren at North Little Rock
7A/6A-CENTRAL CONFERENCE
2011-12 standings
Girls
Conf. Overall
No. Little Rock 8-0 20-2
Cabot 7-1 18-5
Russellville 5-3 14-7
BRYANT 5-3 13-9
Van Buren 4-4 16-6
Conway 2-6 10-10
LR Central 1-7 7-13
Mount St. Mary 0-8 6-14
Friday, Feb. 3
Bryant 52, Mount St. Mary 39
Cabot 69, Conway 54
Van Buren 58, LR Central 52
North Little Rock 50, Russellville 47
Tuesday, Feb. 7
Van Buren at Bryant
Mount St. Mary at Cabot
Conway at North Little Rock
Russellville at LR Central
Friday, Feb. 10
Bryant at Russellville
North Little Rock at Cabot
LR Central at Conway
Van Buren at Mount St. Mary
Tuesday, Feb. 14
Conway at Bryant
Cabot at LR Central
Mount St. Mary at North Little Rock
Russellville at Van Buren
Friday, Feb. 17
Bryant at Cabot
Van Buren at Conway
Russellville at Mount St. Mary
LR Central at North Little Rock
Tuesday, Feb. 21
North Little Rock at Bryant
Cabot at Van Buren
Conway at Russellville
LR Central at Mount St. Mary
Friday, Feb. 24
Bryant at LR Central
Russellville at Cabot
Mount St. Mary at Conway
Van Buren at North Little Rock
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