Taking a 53-41 win Saturday against McIntosh Academy at home, the Liberty County Panthers held onto a 9-0 winning streak as they prepared to play their first region game, hosting Washington County Friday night.
The Lady Panthers also defeated the Lady Buccaneers, 62-51, moving to a 7-2 overall record.
Most of the teams in Liberty’s Region 3-AAA have yet to play region games, but according to ga.prepcountry.com, the Liberty boys and girls are ranked second in the region behind Burke County.
This Friday, the girls tip-off against the Lady Golden-Hawks at 7 p.m. The boys’ game will follow.
This Saturday, the Panthers play their second region game in Thomson. The girls start at 4 p.m.
As the holiday break approaches, some local teams have opted to take time off while others are making arrangements to play in tournaments.
LCHS
After Saturday’s game in Thomson, the Lady Panthers will take a break until Jan. 8, when they host West Laurens for their third region game of the season.
The Panthers will take time off before hitting the courts at the Statesboro High Christmas Tournament. They play Statesboro High at 8 p.m. Dec. 29 and Bradwell Institute at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 30.
According to Maxpreps.com, the Panther boys are ranked 21st in the state and 1,229 nationally. The Lady Panthers are 150th in the state and 5,523 nationally.
BI Tigers
Lady Tiger coach Faye Baker and the 7-0 Lady Tiger team defeated Jenkins 70-35 on Friday and are scheduled to play in the Macon Tournament on Dec. 19-22. The tournament at Westside-Macon High School will pit the girls against South Gwinnett High at 2 p.m. Saturday. On Monday, they play Rockdale County at 12:30 p.m. On Tuesday the girls take on Riverdale at 11 a.m.
Baker’s team is ranked 50th in the state and is 2,181 nationally.
The Tiger boys are off until the Statesboro Tournament. On Dec. 28, the Tigers take on Metter at 6:30 p.m. and take on Statesboro High immediately afterward. On Dec. 30, they play the Panthers at 6:30 p.m.The Tiger coach is Pete Woodard. His team is ranked 257th in the state and 8,749 nationally, according to Maxpreps.com
Long County
Maxpreps.com has the Blue Tide boys ranked 56th in the state and 2,233 nationally. They were scheduled to host Glynn Academy yesterday, but will take a break until Jan. 2, when they play the BI Tigers in Hinesville.
The Lady Tide are scheduled for a game at 4 p.m. against Metter in the Screven County Tournament on Dec. 18. Afterward, they break until their game aginst the Lady Tigers on Jan. 2.
They are 262 in the state, 9,203 nationally.
FPCA
First Presbyterian Christian Academy’s Highlander boys, ranked fourth in the state and 220 nationally, were scheduled to play Providence Christian late yesterday and will travel to Lyons for the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament Dec. 17-19, at Robert Toombs Academy.
Tomorrow they play Pinewood Christian at 5:30 p.m. They play the host school at 6:30. Friday night and Bulloch Academy at 5 p.m. Saturday. According to the Georgia Independent School Association’s statistical Web site, the Highlanders are on a 39-game winning streak.
The Lady 'Landers are ranked 511 in the state and 17,114 nationally, according to Maxpreps.com and will take a break until Jan. 5 when they travel to Heritage Christian Academy.
Faith Baptist
The Faith Baptist Crusaders boys’ varsity team of Ludowici is ranked 20th in the state and 1,225 in the nation. The boys are scheduled to play in the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament in Lyons on Dec. 17-19, but a schedule was is not available. The boys will finish the weekend at another tournament in Tampa, Fla.
The Lady Crusaders, 414th in the state and 13,551 nationally, will play at the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament as well.