Local teams fight to keep season alive

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 9, 2016

By Kevin Eckleberry

keckleberry@civitasmedia.com

LAGRANGE – It’s a one-game season.

For the girls’ basketball teams from LaGrange and Troup, it’s a simple enough scenario.

If they win today in the opening round of their respective region tournaments, they’ll keep their seasons alive.

A loss, on the other hand, means the end of the season for either team.

LaGrange will play Harris County at 6 p.m. in the first round of the Region 1-AAAAA tournament at Northside High in Columbus.

In the Region 5-AAAA tournament, Fayette County will host Troup at 7:30 p.m.

If either team wins, it will ensure a spot in the semifinals while also guaranteeing a berth in the state tournament.

LaGrange (9-13 overall) finished the regular season with a 3-9 region record, and it is seeded fifth, while Harris County is the fourth seed after going 6-6 in the region.

Harris County won both regular-season meetings against LaGrange, but both games were competitive.

Harris County won 57-52 at LaGrange before winning the rematch 53-41 on its home floor.

“We’ve hung in there with them,” LaGrange head coach Jan Fendley said.

Fendley is hoping the third time will be the charm for her team.

“I’ve been in both positions. It’s hard to beat a team three times,” Fendley said. “That’s what I reminded the girls. We’re going to game plan, and just be ready.”

As is the case in just about every game they play, the Lady Grangers will be outsized, and Fendley said that’s a challenge that has been there since opening day.

“We get discouraged, because we’re outsized,” Fendley said. “Everyboy we play, we’re outmatched. We’ve got to be able to pressure.”

If LaGrange wins today, it would play top-seeded Carver at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, and that game will be at Carver.

The Troup Lady Tigers (7-15 overall) went 1-9 in region play in the regular season, and they’ll be the number six seed, and Fayette County (10-14, 5-5) is the third seed.

The good news for Troup is that its one region win came against Fayette County.

On Jan. 15, Troup rolled to a 49-33 win over Fayette County.

Fayette County won the remath 50-40 on its home floor.

If Troup can pull off the win today, it would play Woodward Academy on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the region-tournament semifinals, and that game will be played at Carrollton.

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