By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It’s been a perfect start to the season for the Troup Lady Tigers, who have played nine games and won them all.

The slate will be wiped clean on Friday, though, when Troup begins its Region 5-AAAA schedule with a home game against Chapel Hill.

“Like I told the girls, we haven’t proven anything yet,” head coach Carla Thornton said. “Those games don’t matter. This is what matters. This is what counts. This is a whole new season.

Troup’s first region opponent is a Chapel Hill team that brings a 7-6 record into Friday’s game.

Troup lost three regular-season region games last season, and one of them was against Chapel Hill.

On Saturday, Troup travels to Sandy Creek, which has won the region tournament the past three seasons.

“These two teams coming up this weekend, we lost to Chapel Hill at home, and Sandy Creek’s been the best team for two or three years,” Thornton said. “I think we’re ready to show improvement.”

A year ago Troup was the region’s number two team in the regular season with a 9-3 record, and it lost to Sandy Creek in the championship game of the region tournament.

Troup had the lead late in that game before losing to Sandy Creek 50-47. It’s a game the Lady Tigers felt they should have won, something Thornton keeps the players well aware of.

“I told them to keep fresh in your mind what happened,” Thornton said. “We feel like we should have won.”

Troup hasn’t played since Dec. 21 when it beat Cedar Grove 40-36 to remain unbeaten.

“Honestly we needed the time to get some rest, but I think everybody’s ready to play again,” Thornton said.

Senior Amber Gilbert is having a big season for Troup, averaging 19 points and nine rebounds per game.

Aniya Palmer is scoring 12.4 points and nine rebounds a game, and freshman Alexcia Murphy scores 8.4 points a game.

The LaGrange Lady Grangers will also begin their region schedule with two games this weekend.

LaGrange (7-6 overall) hosts Central-Carroll on Friday before visiting Cedartown on Saturday.

LaGrange had won five of six games before losing twice in the War Eagle Classic at Woodward Academy.

LaGrange played those two games without Kamelah Kelley, a senior standout who has been one of the team’s top players this season.

Another senior, Qua Robinson, scored 18 points in LaGrange’s most recent game, a 50-43 to Elite Scholars Academy.