BTW romps to easy district tourney win
Booker T. Washington, the state’s top -ranked Class A team, opened District 16-A tournament play Wednesday with a 126-point victory, routing Power Center Academy 149-23.
Martavious Newby, an Ole Miss signee, led the Warriors with 25 points. Fifteen BTW players scored, seven in double figures. BTW (26-0) ad- vances to Friday’s semifinal at Westwood against the winner of Wednesday’s MAHS/CITY University game.
In District 15-AA play at Douglass, Manassas upset top -seeded Raleigh-egypt. The Tigers trailed 33-26 at half, but rallied to win 65-57. Dontavious Sears led the Tigers with 23 points. Manassas will play the winner of tonight’s Trezevant-douglass game in Friday’s title game. Raleigh-egypt faces the loser in Friday’s third-place game.
Quawyshawun Tate scored 20 points and Jaquize Harmon added 19 as Sheffield, the top -seed in 16-AA avoided the upset by knocking off Oakhaven 72-63. The Knights (15-8) will play in Friday’s championship game against either Mitchell or Fairley.
In girls play, Manassas (243), the top -seed in the District 15-AA tournament, jumped out to a 14-2 lead at the end of the first quarter and cruised to a 60-30 semifinal win over Trezevant. league title, but currently find themselves in second place, two games behind undefeated UTEP.
The Tigers lost at UTEP on Jan. 8, 66-60, in a game they led by 19 at the half. They were also upset at home by a Southern Miss team that at the time was 0-8 in league play.
“After losing to Southern Miss, we gained a new focus,” Mcferrin said. “I think that’s from experience and having a team that understands we stubbed our toe. They didn’t like it and they were determined to do something about it.”
With five regular season games remaining, the Tigers will be hard-pressed to win the C-USA regular-season title. They have their minds set on winning the conference tournament, which the Tigers will host March 7-10. Tiffany Jones led the Tigers with 18 points and Phikala Anthony added 15.
Oakhaven, the top -seeded girls team in 16-AA, easily defeated Sheffield 54-30. Marshea Lewis led a balanced scoring attack with 14 points. Oakhaven will play Fairley or Hillcrest in Friday’s title game.
In District 16-A girls, MAHS defeated MASE 6425, MBA knocked off Northside 47-36 and BTW eliminated Power 68-16.
Doing so would guarantee them their first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 1997-98 season.
“I feel as though if I didn’t end my career here at Memphis winning a conference championship, then it would be a disappointment,” senior guard Brittany Carter said. “It’s extremely important for me and my teammates and our coaches to do that. I feel like we have a really good chance.”
The Tigers would love to claim a CUSA title, or two, before heading to the Big East Conference, one of the premiere league’s for women’s basketball, for the 2013-14 season.
“When we make that move, we want the Big East to be talking Memphis as the team that’s coming in from Conference USA that has the best ability to be successful the soonest,” Mcferrin said.
— Marlon W. Morgan: (901) 529-2792