The high school basketball season starts in full force Saturday afternoon at Liberty County High School.

The Panthers host in-county rivals Bradwell Institute, with the first junior varsity game tipping off at 2 p.m.

The varsity games are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., with the varsity boys game to follow.

The Lady Tigers enter the season ranked No. 8 in the state among Class AAAAA teams by Score Atlanta and are coming off a 23-6 season that ended in a second-round state playoffs loss to Harris County. The Lady Panthers were 9-14 overall last year but 9-7 in Region 3-AAA and earned a state playoff berth, falling to Mary Persons in the first round.

Preseason all-state selection and reigning region girls offensive player of the year Parris Parham leads the Lady Tigers, along with fellow seniors Jordyn Rogers and Ta’Tyana Anderson, juniors Ja’Nya Bush, Jamia Ousley and Kaydence Kern and sophomore Janiyah Blevins. Ousley and Rogers also were all-region first-team picks last year, and Blevins was region freshman of the year.

Senior Lyric McIver, an all-Region 3-AAA first-team selection as a junior, leads the Lady Panthers, along with Maritza Troche.

The Tiger boys are coming off a 22-7 mark and a second-round state playoff loss to Eagle’s Landing. The Panthers were 12-9 last year.

Junior forward Chris Perry, a first-team all-region pick last season, leads the Tigers, along with senior guards Jordan Jones, Tyon Jones and Kohlmin Nelson. Bradwell also returns senior forward Jordan Stevens. Terez Golden, Aaron Brown and Elijah Brown return for the Panthers.

Tickets are available on GoFan beginning Friday at 8 a.m.

Bradwell will host Johnson on Tuesday and will host Calvary Day on November 22.

Liberty County will host Bryan County on Tuesday and travel to Jeff Davis on November 23.