By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

 

While some basketball teams are using the holiday break to rest up, a number of local squads are competing in tournaments around the state in order to get ready for the most important part of the schedule.

The boy’s basketball teams of Keith, Selma and Southside high schools are among the teams participating in basketball tournaments over the holiday break in order to prepare themselves for January, when the majority of their area games will be played.

Fresh off a 45-41 loss to rival Selma in the championship game of the Southside Christmas Tournament on Saturday, Southside was able to bounce back, as it defeated Holtville 60-40 in its opening game in the three-day Wetumpka Holiday Classic at Wetumpka High School on Tuesday.

Southside boy’s head basketball coach Cedric Brown said tournaments are a good way to gain experience for players and build momentum and unity for a team. “We’re pretty much just getting guys the experience they need going into the new year and trying to close this year out on a good note,” Brown said. “We’re just trying to get that experience and grow up as a team.”

The Panthers (10-6, 2-0) were led by Sammarkus Jones and Jeffery Mack, who both had 14 points, in the opening win, and will play rival Keith Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

The Keith Bears continued their winning ways after defeating Montgomery Academy 74-58 in their final game at the Southside Christmas Tournament on Saturday, as they defeated Elmore County 69-49 in their opening game at the Wetumpka Holiday Classic on Tuesday.

Rodney Ellis led Keith with 24 points and Walter Young had 10 points in the tournament-opening win on Tuesday.

Bears’ head basketball coach Tommy Tisdale said he uses tournaments to not only prepare his team for the area schedule, but to also see which lineup fits the Bears (7-8, 2-0) best.

Tisdale also said early season games that have put the Class 1A Bears against teams from higher classifications will help them in the area schedule.

“Coming into these tournaments we want to get different looks and just mix and match some guys,” Tisdale said. “Tonight, we played with four guards at least 90 percent of the game. We’re just trying to get a solid rotation heading into the tournament and area play in January. We probably played way above our head starting out, so hopefully this will have prepared us gong into our 1A slate starting January.”

After claiming the championship in the Southside Christmas Tournament that included a win over rival Southside and a 42-37 win over Keith, the Selma Saints hit the road for the Champs Sports Med Shootout in Calera.

Saints head basketball coach Woodie Jackson said tournaments, especially ones involving rivals like the Southside tournament, help the Saints prepare for the tough competition that lies ahead.

“Playing Southside and Keith, as I said before, are rivalries and they also have good teams, so that competitive edge is always needed,” Jackson said. “Any time we play either of those teams it’s a close game and they’re going to come out and play you real tough and real hard, so that gets us prepared for our area play. Playing competitive games like this, we hope that gives us an edge in our area play and the second half of the season.”