Providence turns to Sivins as its leader

“But we have a good blend of international players and local kids. We have a great mixture, and the kids love it.” — Providence Academy head boys basketball coach Austin Bivens

ROGERS — Basketball at the private-school level in Arkansas is similar to a box of chocolates. In any given year, nobody really knows what they are going to get.

But for Providence Academy boys coach Austin Bivens, that’s what keeps things interesting.

“Playing in the independents, you don’t always know what everybody is going to have from year to year. It’s kind of hit and miss,” Bivens said. “But we have a good blend of international players and local kids. We have a great mixture, and the kids love it.”

The Patriots finished 12-12 last season, defeating all of the Class 6A and 7A public schools that they faced — including victories over Springdale High and Bentonville West in 7A, as well as Russellville, Siloam Springs and Greenwood in the 6A ranks. The program has won multiple state championships in its division.

Providence is part of the everexpanding Heartland Christian Athletic Association, which includes more than 45 private schools throughout Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas. Kansas prep power Life Prep has joined the HCAA this season and has a starting five that ranges in height from 6-foot-2 to 6-9, Bivens said.

“Our schedule consists of both public and private schools from all classifications,” Bivens explained. “And we can usually hold our own against the bigger schools, but win or lose, playing the bigger competition hopefully makes us better.”

The Patriots will be without 6-9 Nigerian power forward SK Shittu, who graduated. He is now playing at Central Arkansas, after getting offers from the likes of LSU and Oklahoma.

This season, Providence will rely heavily on Matis Sivins, a 6-foot-8 senior from Latvia who verbally committed to Arkansas, Fort Smith in November. Adam Philip is a two-year starter at guard, and has garnered several offers from schools like Hendrix, Taylor University in Indiana, Cornell College and Colorado Christian.

Coleman Wheeler is a stout power forward, who got a lot of playing time and experience last season behind Shittu. Riley Fox has been Providence’s key defender for the past two seasons.

“He wants to guard the best player, period,” Bivens said. “He gives us about everything he has every time he steps on the court.”

Bivens admits that he does have some advantages that public schools don’t. Although he feels the Patriots hold their own on the court, he doesn’t see Providence as a “basketball factory,” like many other private schools around the country.

“The kids we bring in are Christian and have to be able to handle our rigorous academics, and they have to pay to go to school here,” he said. “We are able to get some pretty good players, but we are actually here for the kids.”

Bivens’ wife of 22 years, Lisa, is the Providence girls coach and guided the Lady Patriots to the OCSSA Class

3A State Championship last season. They will look to repeat this season with returning senior Haley Kate Webb, a Harding University signee, and last season’s Northwest Arkansas Democrat-

Gazette’s Division II Player of the Year.