Troup teams hit road for tournament

Published 12:00 am Monday, December 28, 2015

Tigers participate in Meriwether Holiday Classic

By Kevin Eckleberry

keckleberry@civitasmedia.com

The Troup Lady Tigers will play in a tournament in Meriwether County today through Wednesday. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/12/web1_troup-girls.jpgThe Troup Lady Tigers will play in a tournament in Meriwether County today through Wednesday. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

Paul Brewer’s Troup Tigers will open play in a tournament in Meriwether County today. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

http://lagrangenews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2015/12/web1_brewer.jpgPaul Brewer’s Troup Tigers will open play in a tournament in Meriwether County today. Kevin Eckleberry | Daily News

LAGRANGE – The Troup Tigers won six basketball games during the 2014-2015 season.

If they have a successful stay in the Meriwether County Holiday Classic, they’ll match or surpass that win total before they play their first region game.

The Tigers will bring a 4-4 record into the Meriwether tournament that gets under way today and runs through Wednesday.

The Troup Lady Tigers will also carry a 4-4 record into the tournament that will be held at Greenville High and Manchester High.

Today’s games will be played at Greenville High, and the games on Tuesday and Wednesday will be at Manchester High.

Troup’s boys’ team will begin its tournament stay with a game against the host Greenville team today at 7:30 p.m.

If the Tigers win that game, they’ll play Manchester at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with the winner of that game advancing to the championship game on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

If Troup loses today, it would play a loser’s bracket game on Tuesday at 4 p.m. against either Taylor County or Crawford County.

Troup’s girls’ team will play its tournament opener against Crawford County today at 4:30 p.m., with the winner taking on Manchester on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

If Troup loses today, it would play Macon County or Greenville on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

The girls’ championship game will be Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

For the Tigers, the game will be their first since they took the Callaway Cavaliers to the limit before losing 52-48 on Dec. 19.

Earlier in the season, Troup had another close call against LaGrange before losing 53-52.

The Tigers are getting it done with an inexperienced roster, with a number of players who are either freshmen or sophomores getting significant playing time, including sophomore Jarrious Jefferson, the team’s leading scorer.

“We feel like this team is willing to be coachable,” Troup head coach Paul Brewer said after the Callaway game. “I think offensively we’re a little bit limited right now in what we can do, but, who cares? Come out and win a game, and compete. The beauty of basketball is you can win a game 100 different ways. You have to be willing to buy into a particular style.”

Troup’s girls’ team got a big rivalry home win over LaGrange on Dec. 18.

The Lady Tigers won 61-56, giving them their first win over the Lady Grangers in a few years.

The following day, Troup lost to Callaway 47-44, and it will return to the court today for the first time in more than a week.

Troup’s teams will begin their Region 5-AAAA schedules on Jan. 5 at Sandy Creek.

Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports