On Friday, we’ll have two local schools competing at Alabama State University in the Alabama High School Athletic Association basketball playoffs.

Selma will take on Helena at noon and Ellwood Christian will face Notasulga at 7:30 p.m. Both schools are taking a fan bus to ASU so that students can cheer on their peers and hopefully see them advance on to the state quarterfinals.

The truth is Friday is a huge opportunity for the students because they get a chance to play in front of a big crowd on a college campus.

Ellwood coach and Alabama State University alum Darrell Walker talked about getting his team there a little early, just so they could see parts of the campus.

Although basketball is the focus now, most of the players competing around the state this week won’t go on to play the sport in college. Even if they do, academics are likely to take them further than any sort of basketball career.

We want to wish both teams good luck — and Meadowview too, although the Trojans are playing in Oxford — but we also encourage the athletes and students who make the trip to cheer take the time to see ASU.

It’s one of the closest universities to Selma and our city is full of alumni from the school.