Several area teams will take part in holiday basketball tournaments starting today and running through Saturday.

Wesson

The Wesson Cobras are taking part in the Pearl High School Tournament beginning today at 9:30 a.m. when the girls (1-14) take on Pelahatchie High. The Wesson boys (13-2) take the court at 11 a.m. against 5A Germantown High. On Friday, the Wesson ladies again play at 9:30 a.m., this time against 6A Clinton High School. The Wesson boys follow with another matchup against a 6A school, this time taking on Southaven High of Desoto County.

Lawrence County

The Lawrence County Cougars are also taking part in a tournament that begins today. The Lady Cougars (6-5) kick things off tonight at 5 p.m. when they play Pass Christian High at Bay High in Bay St. Louis. The boys’ team (5-6) then takes on the host Bay High Tigers tonight at 8 p.m. On Friday, the Lawrence County girls play D’Iberville High at 11 a.m. followed by the boys playing Gautier High at 12:30 p.m.

Brookhaven Academy

The Brookhaven Academy girls (9-3) will also be on the coast this weekend as they take part in the Biloxi High Tournament. For the first time in recent memory, the BA girls and boys will be playing in separate tournaments. The Lady Cougars take on Wayne County on Friday at 11:30 a.m. The game takes place at Biloxi Junior High and will see BA playing a Wayne County team that recently lost 44-37 at Bogue Chitto. The Lady Cougars then play on Saturday — this time at Biloxi High — against the Raleigh High Lady Lions at 11:30 a.m. The Lady Lions visited Lincoln County in their season opener and beat Enterprise 31-17 in that game.

For many years, the Cougars hosted a tournament between Christmas and New Years that was the biggest in the MAIS during the holiday season. The BA boys (11-1) will travel to Columbia Academy to take part in their tournament. The Cougars play East Rankin — a team they’ve defeated once this season — on Friday at 5:20 p.m. On Saturday at 4:20 p.m. the Cougars will face the Hillcrest Cougars in their second game.

Brookhaven High School

The Brookhaven High Panthers will also take part — as they traditionally do — in the McComb High School Tournament. The Panthers teams face the host Tigers on Friday, with the Lady Panthers (13-1) playing at 7 p.m. and then followed by the boys (12-2) at 8:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Lady Panthers take on Franklin County at 4 p.m. and are followed by the Panthers taking on the Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m.

Story by Cliff Furr