By By Rocky Higginbotham/The Meridian Star
Feb. 5, 2001
A total of 14 teams from The Meridian Star's coverage area still remain alive in their respective classification in the Mississippi Private School Association basketball playoffs.
Unlike last week, however, each of them will have to win a game Tuesday or Wednesday to keep playing.
Both the boys' and girls' teams from Lamar School, Winston Academy and Leake Academy are in action this week in their respective South and North State Tournaments, while eight area teams are in the MPSA Class A Central Region Tournament.
That event is being held at University Christian School, while Lamar's teams are in the MPSA Class AAA South State Tournament at Copiah Academy. Leake's teams are in the Class AA South State tourney at Brookhaven, while Winston's girls and boys are in the Class AA North State event at Magnolia Heights.
Here's a brief rundown of the early-week schedule for area teams at each of the four tournaments:
Class AAA South State: Lamar's girls and boys play Wednesday in this eight-team event at Copiah.
The Raiders, who were second in last weekend's District 3-AAA Tournament, take on Adams County Christian School Wednesday at 5:30. A win pushes Lamar into a Friday semifinal game; but a loss ends the season for the Raiders.
Lamar's girls are also in a do-or-die game Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Central Private School.
The top four teams advance to the Class AAA State Tournament next week at Central Hinds.
Class A Central Region: The MPSA breaks its most-occupied classification into three regions, meaning the top four teams from District 3-A are tangling with those from District 4-A this week at University Christian School in Flowood.
All of Tuesday and Wednesday's first-round games are elimination contests. The top four in each bracket advance to the Class A state tourney, which is next week and also at UCS.
Tuesday's games pit Sylva-Bay Academy's girls against Sharkey-Issaquena at 4 p.m., and Heidelberg Academy's ladies against CM&I at 7 p.m. The boys' games have Sylva-Bay taking on 4-A champ CM&I at 5:30 and Heidelberg Academy tangling with powerful University Christian at 8:30.
Wednesday, Central Academy's girls take on Tri-County Academy at 4 p.m., and Kemper Academy's Lady Rams get 4-A champ Rebul Academy at 7 p.m. Boys' games on Wednesday pit Newton County Academy against Tri-County at 5:30 and Kemper Academy against Rebul at 8:30.
Class AA North State: Winston Academy's girls and boys play Wednesday in do-or-die contests.
The Lady Patriots take on host Magnolia Heights at 7 p.m., while the Patriots get the host Chiefs at 8:30.
The top four teams in each bracket here go to the Class AA State Tournament at Grenada-Kirk.
Class AA South State: Leake Academy's squads are also bidding for a berth in the Class AA state tourney next week at Kirk, but they'll each need a win Tuesday to get there.
The Rebelettes, after finishing third in the District 3-AA tourney last week, take on Bowling Green (La.) School at 7 p.m., while the Rebels the fourth-place team in 3-AA get 4-AA champ and host Brookhaven at 8:30.
Rocky Higginbotham is the sports editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at rhigginbotham@themeridianstar.com.