By By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
Nov. 14, 2002
Basketball bragging rights for the four Lauderdale County schools will be on the line when the Lauderdale County Tournament tips off Thursday at Meridian Community College.
Northeast Lauderdale, West Lauderdale, Southeast Lauderdale and Clarkdale will square off in a round robin format over three days in both boys and girls action. There will be four games a day beginning with a girls game at 4 p.m. each day.
Heading the field will be the 3-0 West Lauderdale Lady Knights who are ranked in the State's Top 10 this season after finishing as the Class 3A State runner-up last year.
Lady Knight head coach Jody Hurst says the county tournament is good way to get his team primed for the season's first two months.
The tournament gets started when the Lady Knights meet the 0-2 Northeast Lady Trojans at 4 p.m. today at the Ivy Sports Center. West Lauderdale beat Northeast 62-40 behind 22 points from senior forward Kristina Gardner. Shaquita Bell led Northeast with 16.
The Northeast boys, 0-2, follow with a meeting with the 2-0 Knights. West also won last week's meeting (84-64) against the Trojans who will be without two starters because of suspension. Knight standouts Boo Ramsey and Calvin Moore combined for 57 points in that win. Harold Grace led Northeast with 17.
The nightcap games will pit Clarkdale girls and Southeast at 7 p.m. and the Southeast boys versus the Clarkdale boys at 8:30. This will be the season opener for both Clarkdale teams. Southeast's girls are off to a 2-0 start having beaten Terry and Forest this season.
West Lauderdale boys coach Duran Clark says his team must be ready to play.
Play resumes on Friday with West Lauderdale facing Clarkdale in the 4 p.m. girls game and the 5:30 boys contest. Southeast tangles with Northeast at 7 (girls) and 8:30 (boys).
The tourney's final night on Saturday will have Clarkdale taking on Northeast at 4 and 5:30 p.m. The nightcaps will have Southeast girls and West Lauderdale meeting at 7 p.m. followed by the Southeast boys and West boys at 8:30.