By By Rocky Higginbotham/The Meridian Star
Jan. 15, 2001
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians have touted the Pearl River Reservation as a resort destination.
Certainly, it's the place to be this week for good girls' basketball.
Choctaw Central's ladies will host both Southeast and West Lauderdale this week in a pair of Division 5-3A showdowns that highlight the local high school basketball schedule in The Meridian Star's coverage area.
There are two games on the schedule tonight: Lamar School entertains Leake Academy in a matchup of old division rivals; while Heidelberg Academy and Wayne Academy do battle in Academy 3-A action.
But beginning Tuesday, there are a ton of big division games locally, and none are any bigger than the two at Choctaw Central.
The first is Tuesday, when the Lady Warriors put their homecourt winning streak on the line against Southeast one of two teams to knock off Choctaw Central this season.
Southeast's girls beat Choctaw by one point in a thriller earlier this season that didn't count in the division standings. The Tigers and Warriors will also do battle, with both looking to earn their first division win of the season.
Also Tuesday in Division 5-3A, Newton County goes to Velma Jackson and West Lauderdale hosts Carthage. Kemper County steps out of division play to host Northeast Lauderdale.
Another pair of monster games Tuesday take place in Macon, where Noxubee County entertains Neshoba Central in Division 2-4A. Louisville also hosts West Point in 2-4A action.
Tuesday's other key contests have Enterprise hosting Lake, Lamar School at Central Hinds, Quitman at West Jones, Newton at Richton, Bay Springs hosting Laurel, Forest entertaining Raleigh, Nanih Waiya at Union, Wayne Academy at Newton County Academy, Ackerman at Philadelphia, Scott Central at Puckett, Prentiss at Heidelberg, South Choctaw Academy at Sumter Academy, Central Academy at Sylva-Bay and Choctaw County at Livingston.
Thursday, Louisville heads to Aberdeen for tournament action, while Patrician Academy hosts Warrior Academy, and in Academy 3-A action, Kemper Academy entertains Wayne Academy.
Friday, West Lauderdale visits Choctaw Central and Kemper County entertains Velma Jackson in two Division 5-3A barnburners.
Choctaw's girls edged West by two earlier this year in Collinsville, while Velma's 18-3 Falcons knocked off Kemper in overtime two weeks ago.
Meridian High also is in division action Friday as the Wildcats and Lady Wildcats go to Northwest Rankin for Division 5-5A action.
Newton is at Bay Springs in Division 7-2A action, while Southeast visits Clarkdale in non-division action. Philadelphia goes to South Leake in 5-2A, while Quitman is at Northeast Jones and Northeast Lauderdale is at Mendenhall in Division 5-4A.
Other key Friday matchups have Lamar School at Manchester Academy, Scott Central hosting Edinburg, Forest at Collins, Heidelberg Academy at Newton County Academy, Kemper Academy at Sylva-Bay, Lake at Pisgah, Durant at Nanih Waiya, Noxubee County at Starkville, Thomastown at Union and Choctaw County at Sumter County.
Saturday, Louisville wraps up action in the Aberdeen Tournament, while Southern Choctaw pays a visit to Choctaw County and Meridian High's boys are in the Hotbed Classic at Tupelo.
Enterprise is at Bay Springs in Division 7-2A action, while Newton visits cross-county rival Newton County in the latest edition of their grudge matches.
Neshoba Central goes to St. Andrews Saturday, while Leake Academy hosts Prentiss Christian, Noxapater visits French Camp, Central Academy hosts Newton County Academy and Patrician Academy goes to Pickens Academy.
Rocky Higginbotham is the sports editor for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at rhigginbotham@themeridianstar.com.