Squads ready for tourney

By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
February 22, 2004
Sixteen area teams will see action Monday in first-round girls' play-in games in the MHSAA North/South State basketball tournaments.
In Class 3A, both Southeast Lauderdale and Choctaw Central will be hosting Monday contests. Southeast, 30-2, will host Greene County, while Choctaw Central, 30-2, will take on Poplarville.
Southeast abandoned its usual run-and-gun offense to take a 44-43 win at Choctaw Central for the Region 5-3A title Friday. Stacy Tate hit two free throws with one second left to provide the winning margin.
Poplarville beat Greene County 56-51 in Friday's Region 8-3A consolation game.
Also in Class 3A, West Lauderdale, 24-8, will travel to West Marion.
In Class 4A, Louisville, 20-8, will travel to Itawamba AHS, Noxubee County will go to Jackson to take on Bailey, Northeast Lauderdale, 16-13, will visit Bay St. Louis, and Wayne County, 23-6, will host d'Iberville.
In Class 2A, Hinds AHS, 16-15, will visit the Bay Springs-Heidelberg winner, Piney Woods, 8-16, will go to the Bay Springs-Heidelberg loser, Newton, 25-9, will host Lumberton, and Philadelphia, 24-5, will host Gulfport St. John.
Newton beat Philadelphia 58-39 for the Region 5-2A championship Friday at Philadelphia.
St. John, which handed 31-1 Perry Central its only loss to date, beat Lumberton 57-50 in Friday's Region 8-2A championship contest.
In Class 1A, Nanih Waiya will travel to Walnut, Sebastopol will host Enterprise-Lincoln, Scott Central will host Mississippi School for the Deaf, South Leake will go to Bogue Chitto, and Union will travel to West Lincoln.
Each of Monday's winners will qualify for action Thursday at sites to be determined following the play-in games. The season will end for Monday's losers.