The opening round of the 2026 Arvest Bank basketball tournament saw strong performances from Flippin’s boys and girls teams, both of which secured decisive victories to move on to the second round.
The Flippin Bobcats claimed a commanding 78-40 win over the Timbo Tigers in the boys' bracket. Meanwhile, the Calico Rock Pirates also advanced, defeating Kingston in a dominant 60-21 contest. The Dover Pirates edged past the Cotter Warriors 46-34 in a game closer than the final score suggests.
In the girls’ tournament, the Yellville-Summit Lady Panthers narrowly defeated the Calico Rock Lady Pirates 40-34 to secure their spot in the second round. The Calico Rock girls move to the consolation bracket.
The Flippin Lady Bobcats continued the town’s strong showing with an overwhelming 61-8 victory over the Omaha Lady Eagles. Every member of the Flippin team saw court time during the game. The Lady Eagles will move to the consolation bracket.
The tournament continues this week with more matchups set to determine who moves closer to the championship. The community has gathered in support of their local teams as the annual event unfolds.