Welcome to the Rose Garden, home of the South Arkansas Roses girls AAU basketball team. The Roses are a team based in El Dorado, Arkansas, which is located near the Louisiana border. The team is coached by Brad Slatton.

The Roses were formed in 1998. In their first ever tournament, the girls won the silver medal in the 1998 Arkansas Girls 12-and-under AAU State Tournament. South Arkansas also advanced to the semifinals of the YBOA State Tournament. In 1999, the Roses claimed the bronze medal in the Arkansas Girls 13-and-under State Tournament and again advanced to the Final Four of the YBOA State Tournament.

The Roses are a local basketball team. All the players are from the South Arkansas area. The team practiced in area high school gymnasiums and was sponsored by area businesses and individuals.

The primary goal was to develop the talent level in South Arkansas. Through AAU, YBOA and other tournaments, the Roses were exposed to the best competition in the state. The team has a two-year record of 15-12 with top three finishes in the two biggest tournaments in which it has competed. More importantly, the girls have improved their skills, which was the primary goal. They have also competed hard, showing class and style both on and off the court, in victory and in defeat. They have represented South Arkansas well and certainly lived up to their name - Roses.

Unfortunately, the Roses' run was shortlived. The team did not reform in 2000 but the players are still playing basketball. This site is a salute to the South Arkansas Roses, who showed that a team of local girls can be a thorn in the side of the big-name established programs. We will follow the paths of these players as their futures bloom and know they helped create the spark that will ignite girls basketball in South Arkansas.