to Phenix City for Regionals

By STEVEN G. WATSON

Sports Editor

It all comes down to this weekend for the Pike Liberal Arts varsity basketball teams.

The season ended on a low note for the boys who had a chance to seal up a No. 3 seed in the Region Tournament with a win over either Lee-Scott or Glenwood, but in two tragic endings the Patriots lost to Glenwood 49-46 on a last-second 3-pointer and 62-61 to No. 1 seed Lee-Scott on a basket with only 2.7 seconds left.

After the Lee-Scott win the Patriots’ fate was decided by the outcome of the Glenwood Macon-East game Tuesday night in which Macon-East won, putting Pike County in the No. 4 spot. With the poor seeding the Patriots will have to face Hooper Academy tonight at 5:30 p.m. in Phenix City where the tournament is being hosted by the Glenwood girls who won the No. 1 seed as well last night with their win over Macon-East.

For PLAS head coach Jim Ryan and his two squads it was a double dip of bad luck. Now, not only do his boys’ have to win the Regional Tournament out right to make it to the state playoffs, but both teams must travel all the way to Phenix City instead of nearby Montgomery.

"It didn’t work out the way we wanted it to that’s for sure," Ryan who traveled to the Glenwood Macon-East game Tuesday night said. "It was a long ride back, neither game went the way we needed them to.

"Now, our boys will have to play three outstanding games in a row to make it to state," he continued. "With the Lee-Scott boys automatically getting one of the bids to state, and since we face them in the second round, we will have to beat them and win the tournament to get the second bid."

Something that Ryan and his squad are not incapable of doing. Every game, as seen with the last-second finishes, have been within the Patriots grasp. Four of the boys’ teams in the Region are all very evenly matched and on any given night any team could defeat the other.

In the girls’ bracket the Glenwood Lady Gators have sealed up the automatic bid for winning the regular season region championship and will face the winner of the Lee-Scott Hooper game played at 4 p.m. today.

The Lady Patriots will have a great chance to pull the upset and make it to the State AISA playoffs if they can overcome the Lady Knights of Macon East in their game at 5:30 p.m. Friday night.

The winner of the game will play in the championship Saturday and if Glenwood stays true to form, beating their opponent earlier Friday, the two participants will go on to State competition.