Area teams begin district tournaments
A long and hard-fought basketball season is hitting its peak beginning tonight in the area as a busy slate of high school games begin in the district tournaments.
Starkville High School is hosting its own Class 6A, Region 3 basketball tournament and the Yellow Jacket girls and boys are hoping to take home yet another title, but Class 2A, Region 2 will run through Cumberland as East Webster and Eupora have a chance to win a district championship in Webster County.
The East Webster Lady Wolverines have been one of the best girls squads in the area this season as they enter the Region 2 tournament as the No. 2 seed behind Calhoun City with a record of 18-8. They're riding a bit of a hot streak of late having won six of the last seven games.
East Webster head coach Jon Ginn is in his second season and he has no seniors on this year's team. It's only the beginning, but they have a chance to do some special things this year.
“Lauren (Graves) is really starting to see the floor better as our point guard,” Ginn said. “She used to just drive when a play broke down but now she's starting to really get a feel of who she needs to get the ball to for a score. We're getting a lot of production out of Meri-grace Gregg, who is shooting lights out and then we have the sister act down low with Shameriah (Culpepper) and Shan (Culpepper). We're just in a really good spot right now.”
The Lady Wolverines have the first day off thanks to its No. 2 seed in the district and they'll play Bruce on Thursday night at 7 p.m.
The first day of games at East Webster's domed gym will take place tonight beginning with Eupora's girls at 6 p.m. taking on J.Z. George.
It's been a massive rebuilding job for Jonathan Childs, who is in his second season as coach for the Lady Eagles. This year's team is just 1-20 and didn't win a Region 2 game. However, Childs likes the match up for his team against J.Z. George if it can take care of the basketball.
After competing against a tough schedule, including two games that closed out the regular season last week, the Lady Eagles should be ready for anything.
“The last week we've had really good practices and competed well,” Childs said. “Vardaman is going to compete in the postseason and Choctaw County is always a good team. We felt like we've been prepared for the district tournament coming up, so we're really excited.”
On the boys side of the bracket, the Eupora boys won just four games all year, but two of those came in Region 2 play which earned them the No. 2 seed overall. The Eagles will go up against J.Z. George as well on Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. and already own a win over the Jaguars.
Elsewhere in the area, Choctaw County will have to go down the road to Houston to compete in its Class 3A, Region 4 tournament. The Chargers are no strangers to winning this tournament having taken home the boys and girls trophies just a couple of years ago and now they're hoping to do it again.
The Choctaw County boys will start off by playing as the No. 3 seed against No. 2 and host Houston. Noxubee County is the team to beat in the region and it beat the Chargers by 13 just a couple of weeks ago. Houston and Choctaw County will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday night.
The Lady Chargers also finished third and will play Aberdeen on Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. Choctaw County has had mixed results this season as it nearly knocked off No. 1 seed Noxubee County this year, but it lost to Aberdeen by 21 points. The Lady Chargers have a chance to make a run beginning on Thursday night.