2016 CLASS 7A CHAMPIONSHIP CAPSULES

[BarclayAlmanac]

2016 CLASS 7A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
BOYS
BENTONVILLE VS CABOT
Friday, March 11, 8:45 p.m.
Bank of the Ozarks Arena, Hot Springs

BENTONVILLE (21-8)
Head coach: Jason McMahan
State championships: (0)
Road to Hot Springs: Defeated West Memphis, 52-48, and Van Buren, 63-57 OT, in the state tournament

CABOT (20-9)
Head coach: Jerry Bridges
State championships: (0)
Road to Hot Springs: Defeated Springdale, 55-51, and Bryant, 50-47 OT, in the state tournament

FEARLESS FACTS: Both teams won in overtime in the semifinals on Saturday. ... Both teams are in search of the first state boys basketball championship. ... Bentonville is playing in its second straight championship game. ... Cabot is playing in its first state title game. ... Cabot finished fourth in the 7A/6A-East behind Jonesboro, West Memphis and Marion at 8-6 but edged out West Memphis as the top seed from the conference in the Class 7A state tournament. ... Bentonville finished 11-3 in the 7A-West, losing twice to league champion Fayetteville, and to Fort Smith to open conference play, but McDonald's All-American Malik Monk did not play. ... Monk has scored 2,878 points in his career, including 2,126 in three years at Bentonville (record for state's largest classification) and 1,061 points in 7A-West play (conference record).


CLASS 7A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
GIRLS
NORTH LITTLE ROCK VS CONWAY
Saturday, March 12, 7:45 p.m.
Bank of the Ozarks Arena, Hot Springs

NORTH LITTLE ROCK (25-5)
Head coach: Daryl Fimple
State championships: (2) 2010, 2006
Road to Hot Springs: Defeated Bryant, 60-26, and Fort Smith Northside, 63-45, in the state tournament

CONWAY (30-1)
Head coach: Ashley Nance
State championships: (2) 2014, 2008
Road to Hot Springs: Defeated Cabot, 55-48, and Little Rock Central, 57-52, in the state tournament

FEARLESS FACTS: Conway won the 7A/6A-Central, winning all 14 games by an average of 29.9 points per game. ... Conway's only loss was to Plano TX West in the quarterfinals of the Sandra Meadows Classic in Duncanville TX in December. ... Nance won three straight state champions at Guy-Perkins, playing for her dad, John Hutchcraft, in 2001, 2002 and 2003 and was also the Most Valuable Player of the championship game those three years. ... North Little Rock shared the 7A/6A-East championship with Little Rock Central, but earned the top seed in the Class 7A state tournament from the conference by virtue of beating Central twice in head to head competition. ... North Little Rock is making its fifth championship game appearance with championships in 2010 and 2006 in addition to losing in the finals in 2009 and in 1997 as North Little Rock Northeast before the merger with Ole Main. ... Conway's Alexis Tolefree is Conway's single-season scoring leader with 816 points this season and the career scoring leader with 1,657 points.

[Brian G]

To add, Coach McMahan does have a state title as HC at Siloam Springs.  But neither school has ever won a basketball title in boys.