With the exception of a few years last decade, Arkadelphia’s
athletic teams have traditionally competed in what is now considered class 5A
in the former 5A Southwest Conference with teams such as Hot Springs, Magnolia,
Hope, Lakeside as well as others.
During the most recent reclassification, Arkadelphia was
placed in the 4A-7 district (or conference) with current league foes Arkansas
Baptist, Ashdown, Bauxite, Central Arkansas Christian, Malvern, Nashville, and Pulaski
Robinson.
Along with the change in classification to 4A comes a change
in the way basketball, baseball and softball will qualify for their respective
State Tournaments.
Badger fans may remember the 5A State-Runner up team from a
few years ago or the 14-0 Badger boys’ basketball team from two seasons ago
that earned a state tourney bid by finishing in the top four of the 5A
Southwest. The Badger baseball team also made the State Tourney the same way
the last two years.
For teams in 5A, it’s a race to finish in the top 4 at the
end of the regular season and then advance to State Tourney play.
In class 4A and below, due to the fact that there are more
teams and districts in each classification, two districts are matched up to
form a region and the top four from each region advance to the state
tournament. Districts may choose their state qualifiers by using a District
Tournament or by using regular season standings.
Although, post-season basketball is at the forefront of the
collective minds of fans right now, this will be the same scenario for baseball
and softball when April rolls around.
For Arkadelphia and the rest of the teams in 4A-7, in order
to qualify for the State Tournament in these sports, they must be the “final
four” of two tournaments – the 4A-7 District Tournament (for basketball, that
takes place this week in Bauxite) and the 4A South Regional Tournament (basketball’s
will be Feb. 20-23 at OBU – hosted by Arkadelphia High School).
This week’s District Tournament is composed of all 8 teams
in the league with the seeds determined by the finish in the regular season
double round-robin schedule. Monday, the 5th, 6th and 7th-seeded
teams play with winners advancing the face the 3rd and 4th-place
finishers on Tuesday. The semifinals will take place Thursday with the 1st
and 2nd-seeded teams playing their first game. The teams who make
the semifinals of the District Tournament advance to the Regional, but Saturday’s
championship games and consolation games will determine seeding to the
Regional.
The complete bracket is as follows:
BOYS
Monday, February 11:
Game 1 - (5) Malvern vs. (8) Robinson, 5:20 p.m.
Game 2 - (6) Ashdown vs. (7) Nashville, 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 12:
Game 3 - (4) Bauxite vs. Winner Game 1, 5:20 p.m.
Game 4 - (3) Arkansas Baptist vs. Winner Game 2, 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 14:
Game 5 - (1) CAC vs. Winner Game 3, 5:20 p.m.
Game 6 - (2) Arkadelphia vs. Winner Game 4, 8:00 p.m.
*by earning the 1st and 2nd seeds in the regular season conference schedule, Arkadelphia and CAC automatically advance to 4A South Regional Tournament
Saturday, February 16:
CONSOLATION: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 5:20 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 7:40 p.m.
Monday, February 11:
Game 1 - (5) Malvern vs. (8) Robinson, 5:20 p.m.
Game 2 - (6) Ashdown vs. (7) Nashville, 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 12:
Game 3 - (4) Bauxite vs. Winner Game 1, 5:20 p.m.
Game 4 - (3) Arkansas Baptist vs. Winner Game 2, 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 14:
Game 5 - (1) CAC vs. Winner Game 3, 5:20 p.m.
Game 6 - (2) Arkadelphia vs. Winner Game 4, 8:00 p.m.
*by earning the 1st and 2nd seeds in the regular season conference schedule, Arkadelphia and CAC automatically advance to 4A South Regional Tournament
Saturday, February 16:
CONSOLATION: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 5:20 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 7:40 p.m.
GIRLS
Monday, February 11:
Game 1 - (5) Arkansas Baptist vs. (8) Arkadelphia, 4:00 p.m.
Game 2 - (6) Nashville vs. (7) Robinson, 6:40 p.m.
Tuesday, February 12:
Game 3 - (4) Ashdown vs. Winner Game 1, 4:00 p.m.
Game 4 - (3) Bauxite vs. Winner Game 2, 6:40 p.m.
Thursday, February 14:
Game 5 - (1) Malvern vs. Winner Game 3, 4:00 p.m.
Game 6 - (2) CAC vs. Winner Game 4, 6:40 p.m.
Saturday, February 16
CONSOLATION: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 4:00 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 6:40 p.m.
Monday, February 11:
Game 1 - (5) Arkansas Baptist vs. (8) Arkadelphia, 4:00 p.m.
Game 2 - (6) Nashville vs. (7) Robinson, 6:40 p.m.
Tuesday, February 12:
Game 3 - (4) Ashdown vs. Winner Game 1, 4:00 p.m.
Game 4 - (3) Bauxite vs. Winner Game 2, 6:40 p.m.
Thursday, February 14:
Game 5 - (1) Malvern vs. Winner Game 3, 4:00 p.m.
Game 6 - (2) CAC vs. Winner Game 4, 6:40 p.m.
Saturday, February 16
CONSOLATION: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 4:00 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 6:40 p.m.
The Regional Tournament will feature the top four of the
4A-7 District Tournament matched up against the top four finishers from the
other District in the Region, the 4A-8. Schools that compose the 4A-8 include
Crossett, Dewitt, Dumas, Hamburg, Lake Village, Monticello, Star City and
Warren.
As is the case in the District Tournament, the top four
finishers in the Regional Tournament will advance to the 4A State Tournament
which will be Feb. 26 – March 2 at Cave City High School in Northeast Arkansas.
The 4A South Regional tournament will be hosted by AHS at
Ouachita Baptist University’s Bill Vining Arena. Athletic Director Chris Babb
is in the process of gathering volunteers and sponsors for the tournament to
help provide a good experience for those visitors who will be spending their time
in Arkadelphia over the four-day tournament.
If you or your business is interested in volunteering or
sponsoring the tournament in areas such as program ads, public address
announcements, hospitality room needs, etc., contact Babb at 870-246-7373 ext. 606
or chris.babb@arkadelphiaschools.org.
In the meantime, keep up with post-season basketball results
via social media on Facebook by liking the “Badger Athletics” page, or on
Twitter by following “APSD_Athletics”. Siftings Herald Sports Editor James
Leigh also utilizes Twitter as well as the daily paper. You can follow Siftings
Sports on Twitter by following “@DSHSports”.