Arkansas hoops wins again
El Dorado's Oil Belt Classic is now history. Although the crowds were ridiculously small, the teams were top-notch and provided high-quality girls basketball not seen often enough in South Arkansas.
The game I most looked forward to was Ouachita vs. Carlisle. It didn't disappoint.
For those who weren't there, which is probably all of you, the tournament got way ahead of schedule. I heard Ouachita refused to play before the 7 o'clock time so the teams had about 30 minutes to warm up.
A scorekeeper for Ouachita sat next to me and started to talk. He was a nice, older gentleman, who loves Ouachita basketball. He took me through the history of the program, talked about wins over Alana Beard and how Chrissy Givens, a Ouachita product, is the only four-time Class 5A all stater ever. He said Seimone Augustus was four-time all state but not at the 5A level.
He talked about the big-time tournaments Ouachita goes to, including the Shake-and-Bake in New Orleans (before Katrina) and the events in Texas, especially Duncanville where they were personally invited by Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson.
He didn't seem all that interested in Ouachita's opponent although he knew they won one of the small class state championships in Arkansas.
Once the game finally began and Carlisle stepped knee-deep in his team's butt, the man began to argue with the officials and actually said, "you couldn't win a state championship in Louisiana playing like that."
It was a good game with Carlisle rallying in the second half. The Lady Bison pretty much owned the fourth quarter as Arkansas signee Julie Inman showed why she is an Arkansas signee.
Alas, the man who talked and talked and talked for 30 minutes straight, didn't utter a word for most of the fourth quarter.
It seems both the players and scorekeeper were a little overconfident. Personally, I still think Ouachita is a better team than Carlisle. The only individual matchup I'd favor Carlisle is point guard.
I actually asked Henry Harrell, "why don't they just take Inman away? Don't let her get the ball?"
I knew the answer before he said, "it's not as easy as it sounds."
Anywho, it was a good game. I was kind of proud to see a little ol' Arkansas school put the beatdown on a big Louisiana school.
That's how we do it in the Natural State.
The game I most looked forward to was Ouachita vs. Carlisle. It didn't disappoint.
For those who weren't there, which is probably all of you, the tournament got way ahead of schedule. I heard Ouachita refused to play before the 7 o'clock time so the teams had about 30 minutes to warm up.
A scorekeeper for Ouachita sat next to me and started to talk. He was a nice, older gentleman, who loves Ouachita basketball. He took me through the history of the program, talked about wins over Alana Beard and how Chrissy Givens, a Ouachita product, is the only four-time Class 5A all stater ever. He said Seimone Augustus was four-time all state but not at the 5A level.
He talked about the big-time tournaments Ouachita goes to, including the Shake-and-Bake in New Orleans (before Katrina) and the events in Texas, especially Duncanville where they were personally invited by Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson.
He didn't seem all that interested in Ouachita's opponent although he knew they won one of the small class state championships in Arkansas.
Once the game finally began and Carlisle stepped knee-deep in his team's butt, the man began to argue with the officials and actually said, "you couldn't win a state championship in Louisiana playing like that."
It was a good game with Carlisle rallying in the second half. The Lady Bison pretty much owned the fourth quarter as Arkansas signee Julie Inman showed why she is an Arkansas signee.
Alas, the man who talked and talked and talked for 30 minutes straight, didn't utter a word for most of the fourth quarter.
It seems both the players and scorekeeper were a little overconfident. Personally, I still think Ouachita is a better team than Carlisle. The only individual matchup I'd favor Carlisle is point guard.
I actually asked Henry Harrell, "why don't they just take Inman away? Don't let her get the ball?"
I knew the answer before he said, "it's not as easy as it sounds."
Anywho, it was a good game. I was kind of proud to see a little ol' Arkansas school put the beatdown on a big Louisiana school.
That's how we do it in the Natural State.
posted by Tony at
1:35 PM
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