LC-M-H-J battle highlights hoop docket

Van Wade

There is a large prep hoop docket on tap tonight across the area tonight with the feature game being defending Class 3A state champion Hardin-Jefferson visiting the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears at the Bear Cave.

The Bears (6-1) are fresh off of winning the consolation trophy at the Cedar Creek Lake Shootout last weekend and Coach Darin Harley has a dominant senior group playing well, led by the likes of Dallas Bean and Kevin Cooper.

Coach Todd Sutherland has the Hawks standing at 6-0 thus far.

In other boys action tonight, the Orangefield Bobcats (5-2) fresh off of winning the Evadale Tournament last Saturday, will head to Nederland to face a re-surging Bulldog program. The Vidor Pirates will head to Beaumont to face Kelly while the Deweyville Pirates (7-1), who won the consolation trophy at the Evadale Tournament, will visit West Hardin.

District action wwill crank up on the girls side of the ledger.

The Orangefield Lady Bobcats (6-5) face an early road test at defending District 21-3A champion Silsbee. West Orange-Stark will welcome Hamshire-Fannett and Bridge City will visit a stout Hardin-Jefferson lady Hawks team in Sour Lake.

The LC-M Lady Bears (4-5) will open up 22-4A play on the road at district favorite Beaumont Central (7-1). The Deweyville Lady Pirates (4-7), who won the second-place trophy at the Evadale Tournament, will start 24-2A play by hosting East Chambers.

The Lady Pirates fell to Starks (La.) 50-39 in the Evadale title game. Guard Skylar Webster, who made the All-Tournament squad, led the way with 18 points. Krista Goleman tallied six points while Kaycee Spears and Amanda Vincent added five points apiece. Deweyville defeated the host Lady Rebels in the semifinals 50-45. Webster darted her way to a whopping 35 points while Goleman added five points and 10 rebounds.

At the end of the week, two local tournaments highlight the schedule with both Orangefield and Deweyville hosting tourneys Thursday through Saturday.

Teams in the Orangefield boys field include the host Bobcats, LC-M, Bridge City, Nederland, Silsbee, Sabine Pass, Buna, Kirbyville, Port Neches-Groves, Hamshire-Fannett and Milburn Academy.

Games will be played at both the new Bobcat Gym and the old Bobcat Gym. In Thursday action, Nederland will face Milburn Academy at 9 a.m. Bridge City will meet LC-M at 10:30 a.m. and Sabine Pass will face Buna at 10:30 a.m. PN-G will battle Hamshire-Fannett at 3 p.m. Silsbee will face the Nederland-Milburn winner at 3 p.m. Kirbyville will face the Bridge City-LC-M winner at 4:30 p.m. and Orangefield will play the Buna-Sabine Pass winner at 7:30 p.m.

The field in the girls bracket will have six teams, including the host Lady Bobcats, LC-M, Needville, PN-G, Sulphur (La.) and NCYA.

Thursday action pits PN-G vs. Sulphur at 4:30 p.m. and LC-M vs. Orangefield at 6 p.m. Friday’s action has HCYA vs. PN-G at 10:30 a.m.; LC-M vs. Needville at noon; Sulphur vs. HCYA at 4:30 p.m. and Orangefield vs. Needville at 6 p.m.

The Deweyville boys and girls will host the Deweyville Classic Thursday through Saturday. The Bridge City Lady Cardinals will also be participating in the Deweyville Classic.

Meanwhile, the WO-S boys will head to Sour Lake to compete in the Hardin-Jefferson Tournament while the Vidor Pirates will participate in the YMBL Tournament.