A busy week of state basketball playoff action starts tonightwith the opening round of the South Mississippi playoffs. On thelocal scene, Brookhaven Academy is gearing up for the MississippiPrivate School Association’s Class AA State Tournament which startsTuesday in John R. Gray Gymnasium.

The South regional playoff games feature several area femaleteams who play tonight. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

The Bogue Chitto girls host McAdams and the West Lincoln girlsvisit Durant in Class 1A action. The Loyd Star girls travel toPerry Central for a Class 2A contest. North Pike’s girls entertainChoctaw Central tonight in Class 3A. The South Pike girls hostGautier in 4A action.

On Tuesday night, the boys take center stage, with tipoff setfor 7 p.m. Brookhaven hosts Pass Christian in South 4A action. WestLincoln’s boys host Brooks of Benoit. The Hazlehurst boys visitChoctaw Central and Jefferson County hosts West Lauderdale in Class3A.

The Bogue Chitto girls (22-2), fresh from beating West Lincoln57-52 for the Division 7-1A Tournament title, host a strong McAdams(26-5) squad which lost to Durant in the Division 5-1A finals. TheLady ‘Cats are coached by Mickey Myers.

Durant (24-1), the defending state champion, beat McAdams 75-51.West Lincoln (17-6), coached by Lane Young, was seeded No. 1 in thedivision tournament.

Loyd Star (21-7) lost 59-43 to McLaurin in the finals of theDivision 6-2A Tournament. Coach Lori Britt’s Lady Hornets visit atough Perry Central (23-4) squad that beat East Marion 54-43 in theDivision 8-2A finals.

West Lincoln’s Bears (15-8), also coached by Young, face atalented Brooks team (15-8) which lost 79-78 to McAdams in thedivision finals.

Brookhaven (25-5), coached by Ronald Hines, came from behind toedge Raymond 53-52 in the Division 6-4A finals at South Pike. ThePanthers meet a defense-minded Pass Christian team which lost 46-39to St. Stanislaus in the Division 8-4A finals.

The South semifinals and finals will be played Friday andSaturday nights at locations yet to be determined. Opening roundwinners will have an opportunity to host the final two days of thetournaments.

State Tourney at BA

Brookhaven Academy’s boys and girls are scheduled to playWednesday night in the opening round of the state tournament. TheLady Cougars (35-1) will play Benton Academy at 7 and the Cougars(28-1) will tackle Marshall Academy at 8:30.

Coach Barry Gray’s Lady Cougars, defending AA state champions,won the South State title Saturday, beating Presbyterian ChristianSchool of Hattiesburg 44-40 in the finals. The Cougars, coached byDale Watts, absorbed their first loss of the season, falling to thePCS Bobcats 47-41 in the championship game.

Also representing the South are the Simpson County andCentreville Academy girls and the Central Hinds and Prairie Viewboys.

The North champions are the Leake Academy girls and the WestMemphis Christian boys. Also representing the North are girls teamsfrom Benton, Marvell (Ark.) and Oak Hill. Other North boys teamsare Columbus Heritage, Leake and Marshall.

State semifinals are Friday afternoon (girls) and eveningsessions (boys). Saturday’s finals will follow the same format,girls in the afternoon at 1 and 2:30 p.m. and boys at night at 6and 7:30.