By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Feb. 26, 2004
Thursday will be a huge day for several area basketball teams as it will be the day that either ends their season or pretty much clinches a trip to the state tournament which begins Monday.
Thursday's winners would play Friday and Saturday and need only to win either day to qualify for the state tournament in Jackson.
Choctaw Central will host the Class 3A girls' South State Tournament. Southeast Lauderdale, 31-2, takes on Wilkinson County, 19-11, at 4 p.m. Choctaw Central, 31-2, hosts Franklin County at 7 p.m. with West Lauderdale, 25-8, taking on Hazlehurst, 22-8, at 8:30 p.m.
The Class 3A boys' South State Tournament is set for Summit. West Lauderdale, 26-8, plays Jefferson County, 15-18, at 4 p.m. with Choctaw Central, 27-6, getting Prentiss and big Al Jefferson at 7 p.m. in a rematch of last year's state tournament game won by Prentiss.
In the Class 2A boys' South State Tournament at Heidelberg, Bay Springs, 24-10, plays Lumberton, 21-3, at 5:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., Philadelphia, 21-9, takes on Hinds AHS, 24-7. Heidelberg, 21-7, hosts Perry Central at 8:30 p.m.
In the girls' Class 2A South State Tournament at Perry Central, Heidelberg, 19-8, meets Perry Central, 32-1, at 5:30 p.m. with Philadelphia, 25-5, taking on Loyd Star at 7 p.m. Bay Springs, 31-2, squares off with Williams-Sullivan, 15-16, at 8:30 p.m.
In the boys' Class 1A South State Tournament at McAdams, Scott Central, 27-7, plays Durant, 25-5, at 4 p.m., Union, 12-18, takes on Puckett, 18-7, at 5:30 p.m., and South Leake, 19-11, faces 18-9 Ray Brooks of Benoit at 7 p.m.
In the Class 1A girls' South State Tournament at Scott Central, the 20-12 host Lady Rebels play McAdams, 28-4, at 4 p.m. South Leake, 25-7, takes on Mize, 23-6, at 5:30 p.m. and Sebastopol, 26-3, plays Durant, 22-5, at 7 p.m.
In the boys' Class 4A South State Tournament at Lucedale, Quitman, 24-11, plays Jackson Jim Hill, 23-7, at 4 p.m.
In the boys' Class 4A North State Tournament at Oxford, Noxubee County, 19-12, faces the host Chargers, 26-7, at 4 p.m.
The Noxubee County girls play Jackson Provine at 5:30 p.m. at Pontotoc in the Class 4A North State Tournament.
In the Class 4A girls' South State Tournament at Northeast Jones, Wayne County, 24-6, plays Brookhaven, 22-12, at 4 p.m.