Please forgive area basketball coaches for being in an extra-serious mode today. Crunch time has arrived in the South Mississippi playoffs. A loss tonight quickly ends their seasons. The opening rounds were played Monday and Tuesday. Most of the area teams were eliminated.

Two local teams the Bogue Chitto girls and West Lincoln boys, are hosting South 1A playoffs this weekend. BC’s Lady Cats, coached by Christi Terrell, were victorious Monday. That sets up a 5:30 date this evening with the Salem girls. Salem is under the direction of first-year coach Britta Stephens, a former North Pike standout. Stephens was The Daily Leader’s All-Area Most Valuable Player back in 2005.

Stephens and her Lady Wildcats have their work cut out for them. The Lady Cats are aiming for a return trip to the state tournament in Jackson’s Mississippi Coliseum. They are playing in the friendly confines of R.L. “Bob” Calhoun Gymnasium, aka Parquet Pit. South semifinals are Friday night and the championship is Saturday night.

Other South 1A girls games today send Weir against Sebastopol at 4, McAdams vs. Dexter at 7 and Hinds AHS vs. Stringer at 8:30. Basketball logic would find Bogue Chitto playing Hinds AHS Saturday night in the finals.

West Lincoln’s Bears, coached by Lane Young, also have state tournament ambitions. They tackle the Salem boys tonight at 8:30 in Jack Case Gymnasium. Other games today send French Camp against Sebastopol at 4, Dexter against Hinds AHS at 5:30 and Durant against West Lowndes at 7. It looks like a probable Dexter-West Lincoln matchup Saturday night.

The Wesson Cobras, coached by Rusty Newman, are in the South 2A playoffs at Bassfield. They meet the Bay Springs Bulldogs today at 5:30. Other games feature Williams Sullivan versus Union at 4, Scott Central vs. Madison St. Joseph at 7 and Bassfield vs. Taylorsville at 8:30.

Lawrence County’s girls, coached by Vicki Rutland, are in the Class 4A tourney at Bay St. Louis and meet the host team at 5:30. It’s Raymond vs. Laurel at 7, and South Pike vs. Forrest County AHS at 8:30.

Both McComb teams were victorious in the South 5A playoffs while both Brookhaven teams lost on the road Tuesday night at Pascagoula. The Tigers beat Gautier and the Lady Tigers disposed of Moss Point. McComb is hosting the South 5A girls finals and plays South Jones Friday at 6 p.m. Wayne County plays Pascagoula at 7:30.

The McComb boys are at West Harrison and meet No. 1-ranked Wayne County at 6 p.m. tomorrow. West Harrison and Pascagoula square off at 7:30.

Meanwhile, the Brookhaven Academy boys are at Canton Academy Friday for the MAIS Class AA State Tournament semifinals. They tackle 2-time defending state champion Marshall Academy at 7:15 Friday night. Win or lose, they’ll play again Saturday night, either in the consolation or championship games.

Co-Lin wraps up regular-season play tonight in Mullen Gymnasium, hosting Pearl River Community College. Coach Gwyn Young’s Co-Lin Lady Wolves(19-3, 10-1) have secured No. 1 seeding out of the South Division for next week’s MACJC State Tournament at Poplarville. They’ll play Monday at 5 p.m., against the No. 4 North team, in PRCC’s gymnasium..

Unfortunately, it has been another difficult campaign for the Co-Lin men’s team. The Wolves, coached by Dennis Sims, stand at 4-18 overall and 2-10 in the South Division. They’ll be watching the state tournament from the stands next week. A win over South Division leader Pearl River tonight would give them some satisfaction. They upset the then No. 25-ranked Wildcats 83-69 back on Jan. 28, at Poplarville.

Meanwhile, in the great outdoors, baseball and softball coaches are keeping a wary eye on the weather. They are crossing their fingers as this weekend’s MHSAA Classic baseball menu gets underway. Lawrence County and Loyd Star are hosting 2-day showcases.

At Lawrence County, Brookhaven plays West Marion at 5 p.m. Friday. At 7:30, Lawrence County plays Wesson.

On Saturday at 10 a.m., North Pike plays West Marion and at 12:30, North Pike tests Wesson. At 3 p.m., a junior varsity game features Brookhaven vs. LCHS. At 5 p.m., Brookhaven plays Lawrence County in a varsity match on Davis Field.

At Loyd Star, the West Lincoln-Loyd Star game has been moved to 4 p.m. Friday in an effort to accommodate those West Lincoln basketball fans who want to watch their beloved Bears tonight at 8:30.

Enterprise participates in the Lumberton Classic Saturday, meeting Sacred Heart at 1 p.m. and Lumberton at 4.

Bogue Chitto travels to Columbia for a Classic, facing the host Wildcats Friday and the Port Gibson Blue Waves on Saturday.

On Saturday, at Loyd Star’s Smith Field, West Lincoln plays at 10 a.m. Natchez Cathedral faces McComb at noon and Loyd Star tackles Cathedral at 2 p.m.

In softball, West Lincoln hosts a Saturday Classic, starting at 11 a.m. with the Lady Bears hosting Loyd Star. Lawrence County and Loyd Star play at 1 p.m., followed by LCHS versus West Lincoln at 3 p.m.

Wesson’s Lady Cobras visit Salem Saturday for Classic games against West Marion at 12:30 and Tylertown at 2 p.m. Franklin County also is entered.

Ole Brook track and field coach Darien Dorsey is fired up about his first edition. They are scheduled to host a practice meet Tuesday, Feb. 26, including teams from Hazlehurst, Franklin County, Crystal Springs, Tylertown and Terry. Action starts at 4 p.m.

The BHS tennis team, coached by Nancy Fisher, debuts Tuesday at Natchez.

Contact sports editor Tom Goetz by Email: tom.goetz@dailyleader.com