Familiar foes Dover (34-0) and Lamar (33-2) clash for Class 2A girls hoops title

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

The Arkansas class 3A state girls basketball title will be decided between a program that is used to playing in the finals and an unbeaten one looking to finish off a dream season.

Dover (34-0) will put its unblemished mark on the line when when it faces rival Lamar (33-2) on Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Bank of OZK Arena in Hot Springs.

The two teams are former conference foes, but have not faced each this season, one where Lamar is trying to win a title after coming up short in the 2022 and 2023 finals.

Dover head coach Kristian Williams has enjoyed the fairy tale ride.

“It’s been fun,” Williams said. “You know we strung five together, then 10 and then 20 and you look up and its 34,” Williams said.

“They definitely bought in to what I want to do defensively the last three years and having a point guard that can see the floor like Kadee (Keaster) does.”

Keaster is an Henderson State signee while her Dover teammate Logan Young signed with Arkansas Tech.

“She (Keaster) is kind of the straw that stirs the drink ands getting people open shoots because of what she is doing,’ Williams said.

Williams expects a stiff challenge from Lamar, who has it own great point guard in Harding signee Kori Sanders.

“Lamar is a great team,” Williams said. “They are senior loaded and they are going to be really excited to go into his game because it is their last one.

“We normally are in a conference with them and last year we played them four times,” Williams said. “This year we weren’t in a conference with them because of the new realignment so it has seemed strange.

“It is kind of like a cherry on the top that we get to play them in the championship.”

It has both schools, their fans and the two towns – which are 290 miles apart – excited about renewing the rivalry with the championship on the line.

“It is good for the communities,” Williams said. “I’m not from Dover (originally), but I know it is a big rival between Dover and Lamar and has been for years and it is going to make for a exciting atmosphere.

Dover is looking for its first girls state title in 26 years.

“So they won it (here) in 1999 and a lot of the girls that won it still live in the community, are excited and telling the girls to just enjoy it,” Williams said.

“At first it was like we are having a good season, but then it has just kind of exploded and so many people have just come to support us. In the tournament, our whole side was was completely packed of Dover fans.”

Williams believes the game will be decided by two facets.

“I feel like whoever defends and rebounds the best will win one Thursday night,” Williams said.

Photo courtesy of Dover Athletics