Local girls' hoops powers to collide
By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Jan. 5, 2004
One of the top high school girls' basketball games in the state this season is set for Tuesday night when Choctaw Central hosts Southeast Lauderdale in a battle of unbeatens.
Choctaw Central enters the Division 5-3A contest with a perfect 14-0 mark. The Lady Warriors have been idle since a 115-55 drubbing of Cherokee, N.C., on Dec. 20 in North Carolina.
Southeast, 16-0, routed Southern Choctaw 79-20 Saturday night.
Southeast is ranked No. 5 by The Clarion-Ledger, while Choctaw Central is No. 8.
A key boys' contest takes place at Hattiesburg Tuesday when the third-ranked Tigers, 16-3, host No. 18 Meridian, 15-3.
Hattiesburg finished 30-4 a year ago. Leading the Tigers are 6-foot-7 Alton Robinson and 6-foot-7 Jay Lee. Both are seniors.
A big game in Academy 3-A girls' basketball takes place tonight when Heidelberg Academy hosts Kemper Academy.
Philadelphia hosts Lake Tuesday night. In other Tuesday games, Lamar travels to Jackson Prep, Quitman hosts Newton County, Union hosts Sebastopol, and West Lauderdale hosts Morton.
Several tournaments will involve area teams this weekend.
Newton will host a four-team round robin, Thursday-Saturday. The loaded girls' bracket includes Choctaw Central, No. 19 Louisville, and Bay Springs, along with the hosts.
Enterprise will also be hosting a tournament, Thursday-Saturday. Along with the hosts, Clarkdale and Newton County will also be participating.
The annual Sam Dale Tournament takes place Friday-Saturday at Northeast Lauderdale with Northeast, Southeast Lauderdale, Quitman, and Kemper County participating.
Lake will host the Scott County Tournament, Thursday-Saturday, with Lake, Scott Central, Sebastopol, Morton, and Forest competing.
Leake Academy, ranked No. 6 in the academy girls' poll and No. 9 in the academy boys' poll, will be competing in a tournament at Central Hinds Academy.
Friday's action finds Meridian going to Northwest Rankin and Philadelphia traveling to Durant to take on Williams-Sullivan.
Lamar will host Parklane Academy on Saturday, while West Lauderdale will travel to Raymond.
