Basketball season will officially tip off for the Eureka Springs Highlanders and Lady Highlanders on Friday, Oct. 13, with Red-White Night at Highlander Arena.
All four Eureka Springs teams will be in action Friday night starting at 5 p.m. with the junior high girls. They’ll be back at it Tuesday, Oct. 17, traveling to Jasper for the regular season opener.
Coach Brian Rambo’s high school boys will have a new look and a new style this season with a young roster. The Highlanders don’t have the same size on the inside as they have the past few years, so they’ll look to speed up the tempo.
“The kids are excited,” Rambo said. “They’re tired of practicing against each other. It gets to be a grind. They’re ready to play some other teams, so we’re excited.”
The Highlanders will get right to business with three games in four days to start the regular season.
“We’re going to try and play as many games as we can,” Rambo said. “That’s really the one thing that my basketball team really lacks is that varsity experience. You really can’t get that in practice. You’ve got to get out and play as many games as you can.”
The Highlanders will count heavily on senior Michael Lester on both ends of the floor.
“He’s worked a lot in the offseason on his body and he’s a physically imposing kind of guy,” Rambo said. “He’s going to be a huge part of our basketball team.”
Next week: A look at the Lady Highlanders
Date Opponent Teams Oct. 13 Red-White Night 1-2-3-4 Oct. 17 At Jasper 1-2-3-4 Oct. 19 At St. Paul 1-2-3-4 Oct. 20 Omaha 1-2-3-4 Oct. 24 Deer 1-2-3-4 Oct. 26 At Thaden 1-2-3-4 Nov. 2 At Founders Classical 1-2-3-4 Nov. 3 At Lead Hill 1-2-4-3 Nov. 7 Mtn. Home Christian 3-4 Nov. 9 Alpena 1-2-3-4 *Nov. 10 Union Christian 1-2-3-4 Nov. 13-17 Decatur Tournament 3-4 Nov. 28 At Berryville 3-4 Nov. 30 Decatur 1-2-3-4 Dec. 5 Haas Hall Bentonville 1-2-3-4 Dec. 8 Greenland 1-2-3-4 Dec. 12 At Life Way Christian 1-2-3-4 Dec. 15 At Yellville-Summit 1-2-3-4 Jan. 5 Ozark Mountain 1-3-4 Jan. 8 Ozark Catholic 1-3 Jan. 9 At Haas Hall Rogers 3-4 Jan. 12 At Haas Hall Bentonville 1-2-3-4 Jan. 16 Cotter 1-2-3-4 Jan. 19 Yellville-Summit 1-2-3-4 Jan. 23 At Greenland 1-2-3-4 Jan. 26 At Ozark Mountain 2-3-4 Jan. 30 Life Way Christian 1-2-3-4 Feb. 2 At Cotter 1-2-3-4 Feb. 6 Haas Hall Rogers 3-4 **Feb. 9 Kingston 3-4 Feb. 5-10 Jr. High District Tournament 1-2 Feb. 12-16 Sr. High District Tournament 3-4 Feb. 21-24 Regional Tournament 3-4 Feb. 27-March 4 State Tournament 3-4 1-Junior Girls, 2-Junior Boys, 3-Senior Girls, 4-Senior Boys * – Homecoming ** – Senior Night Junior High District Tournament at Greenland High School District Tournament at Cotter Regional and State tournament sites to be announced.
