French Camp is hosting the Region 5-1A tournament this week for the four boys and four girls teams.
Semifinals were played Tuesday, with the championship and consolation games Friday. McAdams is the top seed for both boys and girls.
In boys action Tuesday, McAdams played French Camp and Ethel played Coffeeville. For the girls, it was McAdams vs. Coffeeville and French Camp vs. Ethel.
The Friday schedule tips off with the girls consolation game at 4 p.m., followed by the boys consolation game, the girls championship game and the boys championship game.
Coffeeville is the defending boys champion and reached the third round of the 1A playoffs last year. The defending girls champion, Durant, is no longer a high school due to consolidation of the Durant and Holmes County school districts. McAdams, last year’s region runner-up, was also runner-up in the state tournament.
Because there are only four teams in the region, all four will advance to the state tournament for opening round games against teams from Region 6 Monday, Feb. 18 for the girls and Tuesday, Feb. 19 for the boys. The top two for boys and girls will have home games in the opening round of the state tournament.
The Panthers and Lady Panthers both lost their final their last two regular season games.
A poor first quarter in each game led to Panther defeats against McAdams 54-46 and Kosciusko 76-52. French Camp was outscored by McAdams 17-6 and Kosciusko 22-6 in the first quarter.
Coach Robert Leathers said his players lack confidence at the start of games. “But once they get on the court playing they find out about midway through the first quarter that they can play.”
Clayton Leathers scored 19 points against McAdams. Calvin Johnson and Holman Edwards had 11 each.
“Clayton played very well. He was confident making shots,” coach Robert Leathers said. Clayton Leathers is still recovering from a separated shoulder suffered during football season. “It kind of bothers him playing defense and rebounding to put his arm up above his head and worry about it separating again,” the coach said.
Edwards scored 17 points, Johnson and Leathers 10 each in the Kosciusko game. “Holman played probably the best game he has ever played,” coach Leathers said.
GIRLS
The Lady Panthers suffered a one-point loss to the region’s top team, 51-50 against McAdams, and were competitive against Kosciusko, a 4A school, in a 58-46 loss, despite being shorthanded.
“The kids played well in both games,” said coach Priscilla Anderson.
French Camp led most of the game against McAdams until a McAdams basket in the final minute gave the Lady Bulldogs the win and an undefeated record in region play. The Lady Panthers were up 32-28 at the half, and it was tied at 40 through three quarters before McAdams outscored French Camp 11-10 in the final period.
For French Camp, it was a significant improvement over an earlier 65-45 loss to McAdams.
Madison Klein led French Camp with 27 points on 12 of 19 shooting. Jasmine Bonty scored 10 points and Jordan Carter had 15 rebounds, all on at the defensive end.
Carter missed the Kosciusko game with a pulled chest muscle, but was cleared for the region tournament.
Klein scored 20 points and Abby Robertson 10. “I only had two post players and one of then got into foul trouble right off the bat through no fault of her own,” Anderson said.
