Tourney wide open for 1A boys

By Staff
The Tharptown varsity boys basketball team made school history this year by capturing the program's first regular-season area title, but it might be more difficult for the Wildcats to earn the Class 1A, Area 15 Tournament title.
The Wildcats finished the season 5-1 in area play with the only loss coming to Phillips.
Phillips finished tied with Vina as both squads had 3-3 records while Belgreen finished fourth with a 1-5 record in area play.
Glancing at the records only, Tharptown should cruise easily, but there is more to look at than just the win-loss column.
The Wildcats will play Belgreen at 6 p.m. Friday. Tharptown swept the Bulldogs on back-to-back nights in late January, but both games were close.
The Wildcats squeaked by on their home court with a 55-54 victory. The following night they ruined senior night for the Bulldogs by winning 48-43 at Belgreen.
Two victories by a total of six points hardly indicate dominance.
Another factor to consider in this game is the tough season the Bulldogs have had this year.
Belgreen is playing for pride after losing to county rival Tharptown twice and Vina three times – a feat nobody seems to remember happening before.
If Belgreen upsets Tharptown and earns a spot in the sub-regional round of the playoffs, it will soothe some of the pain from the regular season.
In the other half of the tournament, Vina takes on Phillips at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The Red Devils lost the season opener to the Bears 77-43, but won the second game 63-57.
Vina has played in several close games this season and won a game in the county tournament for the first time in years.
The boost in confidence could be enough to propel the Red Devils past the defending Northwest Region Tournament champions and into the finals of the area tournament.