By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
March 8, 2004
JACKSON Of the 10 area teams that qualified for this year's MHSAA state basketball tournament, six are still in the running as the annual two-week event enters its final week at the Mississippi Coliseum.
Two area teams hit the court today.
The 34-3 Lady Tigers of Southeast Lauderdale take on defending Class 3A state champion Ripley, 33-1, at 1 p.m. in a semifinal contest.
Five-foot-10 Dandy Dozen senior Miayorka Johnson, a Mississippi State signee, paces top-ranked Ripley, while Samantha Smith and Stacy Tate lead Joe Miller's Lady Tigers.
Ripley coach Shane Montgomery also has a pair of 6-foot seniors in Evelyn Brooks and Krystle Holliday.
Smith scored 22 points and Tate had 14 in Southeast's 61-57 victory over Independence Tuesday in a first-round game. Both teams know about championships. Ripley tied for third in 2002 before beating West Lauderdale 50-43 in the 2003 title game. Southeast won the 3A state title in 2001.
Wayne County's 27-6 Lady War Eagles take the court tonight at 6:30 against defending Class 4A state champion Bay St. Louis, 28-6. Dandy Dozen senior Ratassia Worsham leads Wayne County while Dandy Dozen junior Kendra Reed leads Bay High. Reed scored 17 points in a 58-50 victory over Pontotoc Tuesday in a first-round game.
In other action involving area teams this week, the 22-13 Noxubee County Tigers take on Jackson Lanier, 29-4, in a father-son matchup Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. T.J. Billups coaches Noxubee, while his father, Thomas Billups, coaches Lanier's Bulldogs.
Thursday night is Jasper County Night at the Coliseum as the Bay Springs Lady Bulldogs, 37-2, play Coldwater, 33-2, for the Class 2A state championship at 6:30 p.m.
Bay Springs battered Baldwyn 76-55 Friday, while Coldwater clobbered Hollandale Simmons 57-41 on Saturday.
Noxapater native Wert Spiva coaches the Coldwater girls.
At 8 p.m., the 25-8 Heidelberg Oilers play Simmons, 34-1, for the 2A boys' state title. Heidelberg has state tournament wins over West Tallahatchie
(67-49) and Lumberton (58-41), while Simmons knocked off Ashland (85-69).
Friday, Choctaw Central brings a 35-2 record into the Class 3A girls' title game against the winner of Southeast Lauderdale-Ripley.