Brookhaven Academy hosts the Mississippi Private SchoolAssociation South AA Tournament beginning today and continuingWednesday, Friday and Saturday. No games are scheduledThursday.

The Brookhaven Academy boys and girls won the District 4-AATournament titles last weekend at Woodville and are seeded No.1.

The two-time defending State AA champ Brookhaven Academy LadyCougars, coached by Barry Gray, are 34-1 on the season. Coach DaleWatts’ Cougars are 26-6 going into South State and are defendingchamps.

Joining Brookhaven Academy from the District 4-AA are BowlingGreen (La.), Wilkinson County Christian Academy, the Oak Forest(La.) girls and the Columbia Academy boys.

Teams from District 3 include Canton Academy, Simpson CountyAcademy, Leake Academy and East Rankin Academy.

In today’s games, the Brookhaven Academy girls face Dist. 3 (#4)East Rankin at 4 p.m. and the Brookhaven Academy boys meet Dist. 3(#4) Leake at 8:30. Other games today include a boys matchupbetween Dist. 4 (#3) Bowling Green and Dist. 3 (#2) East Rankin at5:30 followed by a girls contest between Dist. 3 (#3) Leake Academyand Dist. 4 (#2) Bowling Green at 7.

Four more elimination games are scheduled for Wednesdaynight.

The girls semifinals and championship games will be playedFriday and Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. and 2:30. The boys semisand title game begin at 6 and 7:30 Friday and Saturday nights.

The top four boys and girls teams will advance to the State AATournament at Grenada Kirk Academy next week.

Coach Gray has studied tapes on the District 3 teams and heexpects the competition to be tough. “Canton has lost only five orsix games. Leake has only four losses. All of the teams up thereplay really good defense. All their teams are well coached.”

Gray’s Lady Cougars open against East Rankin today. “They havetwo senior post players,” said Gray. “One is six foot. They areboth three-year starters. They have three sophomore guards.Hopefully our defensive pressure can get to them in a hurry.”

Gray said there are two keys to the Brookhaven Academy girlsbeing successful in this tournament. “If we don’t turn the ballover and lif we play good half-court defense, we always have achance to win.”

Gray said he wanted to invite the Brookhaven Academy friends andfans as well as the Lincoln County basketball fans to come out forthe 4 o’clock start.

Coach Watts was pleased with his Cougars’ performance in winningthe District 4 title last weekend. “I thought we did pretty well inthe district tournament.”

Watts has some scouting reports on today’s opponent, LeakeAcademy, and has prepared the Cougars for their first South Statetest. Leake finished No. 4 in the District 3 tournament but cameinto it as the No. 1-seeded team.

“We are playing a strong team right off the bat,” said CoachWatts. “They have strong, skilled people. They shoot the ball well.They live and die by their offense. Hopefully, we will rise up tothe challenge.”

Simpson County, out of District 3, is a strong opponentaccording to Watts. “They are a real good basketball team.”

The BA Cougars have pulled together in the final games of theseason. After winning their district title, the Cougars are readyfor the challenge to win South State AA. “We are a little moresolid,” noted Watts. “We have accomplished what we wanted to.”

Watts said he expects some of the other pairing to be excitinggames. “The Bowling Green-East Rankin game should be good. TheCanton-Columbia game, you have a slow-down team against athree-point shooting team.”

In last year’s tourney, the Brookhaven Academy girls defeatedHeidelberg 63-44 in the opening round, Central Private 78-47 in thesemifinals and Canton Academy 52-44 in the championship game.

The Brookhaven Academy boys beat Central Hinds 88-39 in thefirst round, Canton Academy 49-31 in the semis and heated rivalCentral Private 67-47 for the crown.

Academy South State AA Tournament at Brookhaven Academy

TUESDAY’S GAMES

4:00 – Girls, Dist. 4 (#1) Brookhaven Academy vs. Dist. 3 (#4)East Rankin

5:30 – Boys, Dist. 4 (#3) Bowling Green vs. Dist. 3 (#2) EastRankin

7:00 – Girls, Dist. 3 (#3) Leake Academy vs. Dist. 4 (#2)Bowling Green

8:30 – Boys, Dist. 4 (#1) Brookhaven Academy vs. Dist. 3 (#4)Leake Academy

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

4:00 – Girls, Dist. 4 (#3) Oak Forest vs. Dist. 3 (#2) SimpsonAcademy

5:30 – Boys, Dist. 3 (#1) Simpson Academy vs. Dist. 4 (#4)Wilkinson Christian

7:00 – Girls, Dist. 3 (#1) Canton Academy vs. Dist. 4 (#4)Wilkinson Christian

8:30 – Boys, Dist. 3 (#3) Canton Academy vs. Dist. 4 (#2)Columbia Academy

FRIDAY’S GAMES

1:00 – Girls semifinals, Canton-WCCA winner vs. Leake-BowlingGreen winner

2:30 – Girls semifinals, Brookhaven-East Rankin winner vs. OakForest-Simpson winner

6:00 – Boys semifinals, Simpson-WCCA winner vs. Canton-Columbiawinner

7:30 – Boys semifinals, Brookhaven-Leake winner vs. BowlingGreen-East Rankin winner

SATURDAY’S GAMES

1:00- Girls Consolation

2:30 – Girls Championship

6:00 – Boys Consolation

7:30 – Boys Championship