The Wildcat basketball team started the season off 4-1, losing to Conway 67-72. Compared to last year’s four game start, where they were 1-4, this season is a complete opposite of last season. Senior forward Jabarih Washington scored the most points in the Conway game with 30 points.
Har-Ber lost huge pieces of their offensive game and players who greatly impacted the team. When one compares the two teams, this year’s team is widely different from the previous season. The team exhibits more chemistry on and off the floor. Players move the ball more, which gives a sense of trust between players.
“I think this year’s team is so much better because we move the ball way more on offense then what we did last year, and that we just connect so much more and we trust each other and won’t talk down on anybody when a bad play happens,” senior guard Sammie Hinsey said. “We may have lost huge pieces like Courtland Muldrew, Hayden Wood, and Mar, but I don’t think that affected us at all.”
The Cats are led by Washington, who is currently averaging 21 points per game. During his sophomore season, he fractured his wrist against Fayetteville, ending his sophomore year. He came back his junior year and balled out, averaging 15 points per game.
Washington wasn’t the star because of the seniors that led the team. Due to graduation, Washington is proving himself to be the star, along with the help of the other players, and with hopes to lead this team to a conference title and state championship.
“Getting injured that year really hurt me because I was a starter, and I really helped the team on offense and was really good on defense that year,” Washington said. “When I came back, I knew I had made an impact because we got first-rounded by the same team that beat us in our conference games, so I just wanted to prove something to the teams that were gonna make it.”
On the current roster, the Cats have two returning players in senior forward Jordan Brown and senior guard TD Mosby. They played their sophomore year but didn’t play during their junior season due to personal reasons. Both have worked hard enough to gain some starts for the Cats.
“I believe I brought a lot of energy since joining back unlike my sophomore year. I just want to play my last year playing basketball with my friends that I have known since 7th grade,” Mosby said. “I just wanted to play another year with them.”
Players are learning to lean on each other and are focusing on the end goal. While the Cats have a tough conference schedule ahead, the team is hoping to make a run at the title in March.
“I’m improving myself by getting to the gym every day. I’m also trying to work on my mid-range because I’m really not good off the dribble right now, so I’m trying to work on my off the dribble,” senior guard Ryan Spencer. “I’m working on my defense and rebounding as well. I struggled with that a little bit last year with the amount of playing time that I had, so I’m working on that so I can earn more playing time this year.”
The Cats finished the 2025 season with a 16-11 record overall, 11-4 in conference, and a third place finish in the 6A West Conference. The Cats’ bid for a state title ended when Bryant beat them 92-79 in the second round of the state tournament.
“I want people to know that the Har-Ber Wildcats never fell off and that they were coming back stronger, faster, better than ever. I want everybody to know who we are and not to think that we are the underdogs,” Hinsey said. “I want them to know that I’m going to make it to the state championship. We are also just going to keep improving throughout the year. As a point guard I’m gonna make sure that everybody makes the correct plays, I’m passing the ball around, making sure everything on the offense is going smoothly and just making sure we get good open shots to win the game.”