It seems

like only yesterday that the high school basketball

season began and now the regular season and regional

tournaments are past us. Fear not. The state basketball

tournaments will begin this Friday and Fayette County is

sending some representatives.

The Lady

Chiefs of McIntosh won the region and will be the top

seed from Region 4-AAAA in the tournament. They defeated

East Coweta, at East Coweta, in the last seconds to win

the region championship. The game went back and forth

between the two squads for the entire match. Both teams

made amazing offensive plays and defensive stands. Going

into the final quarter, the Lady Indians had a four point

edge over McIntosh, but the Lady Chiefs would not be

pushed aside.

Jessi Prahl

was told to stick to Kristy Gaines in the fourth quarter.

Though Prahl eventually fouled out, gaines was controlled

as much as possible in the fourth allowing for Britte

Hardy to make the final shot for McIntosh and win the

game. Prahl led the Chiefs in scoring with 18 points,

wile Hardy finished with 14 points. The schedule for the

state tournament will be announced later in the week.

The Fayette

County Tiger basketball team hosted the boys portion of

the region 4-AAAA basketball tournament and though they

did not win it all, they did secure a bid for the

upcoming state tournament.

The Tigers

defeated Griffin in the game for third place, before

rivals Newnan and East Coweta played for the region

championship. Fayette County got outstanding play from

the team, especially William Moore and Rodney Plair who

combined for 48 of the team's 72 points. Griffin was one

of the region favorites going into the tournament, but

got shocked. They will be a fourth seed in the upcoming

tournament and a potential spoiler themselves.

Sandy

Creek's boys team and Starr's Mill's girls team saw

themselves eliminated from their tournaments. The

Patriots played a close game with the Riverdale Raiders

but were edged out in the fourth quarter, losing 58-50.

William Belton led Sandy Creek in scoring with 14 points.

L.T. Lockett chipped in 13 points and Jermaine Harris

added 11, but it was not enough. The Patriots will return

most of their squad next year, with the exception of

Harris, and should be a contender next year.

The Starr's

Mill Lady Panthers faced Woodward Academy in the second

round of their tournament and got drubbed, 56-29. The

game started slowly for both schools. The score at the

end of the first quarter was 6-4, Woodward, and it was

only 19-15 at the half. The Lady War Eagles pulled away

in the third quarter and held a 19 point lead in the

fourth quarter. Kacy Murray led Starr's Mill in scoring

with seven points. Though it was a disappointing end for

the Lady panthers, they will be playing in a new region

next year.