Big day of hoops on tap at annual classic|[1/28/06]

Published 12:00 am Monday, January 30, 2006

The Red Carpet Classic has been known for putting together &#8220Classic” type match-ups in its one day showcase.

Saturday’s six-game set at Warren Central, at least in some eyes, may not be one of them.

Vicksburg High boys coach Dellie C. Robinson felt the Red Carpet committee should’ve put together a stronger field.

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&#8220I don’t think we have the caliber of teams that we had last year,” Robinson said. &#8220We had Harrison Central, and then Greenville-Weston coming down. Some real quality basketball teams.

&#8220This year we missed the boat a little bit on the quality teams. Hopefully, next year we can get back up and get some quality teams in here so we can have a great Red Carpet.”

Robinson’s Gators will take on Newton County in the day’s fourth game set for 2:30 p.m. The Cougars, a 3A team from east central Mississippi, have been .500 club this season which is nearly equal to Vicksburg’s 11-11 record coming in.

&#8220I don’t know a lot about Newton County,” Robinson added. &#8220Coach (Mike) Coleman scheduled those games before he left (for Quitman).”

In the girls matchup, Newton County is coached by Wayne Tullos, who led Choctaw Central to back-to-back Class 3A state championships. The Lady Cougars are 6-11 and own a 76-29 win over Coleman’s Quitman Lady Panthers.

Action begins at 10 a.m. with a rematch of last year’s 1A girls satellite game between St. Aloysius and Mize. The Mize Lady Bulldogs advanced to the state finals, but according to St. Al coach Drew McBrayer, lost the two best players off that team.

&#8220They have back pretty much the same team except the big girl and the two-guard. Those were two pretty good players,” McBrayer said.

St. Al is much better this season with the additions of transfers Annie and Amy Beaugh. The Lady Flashes are 23-1 and ranked third in 1A in this week’s Clarion-Ledger polls.

&#8220We beat them 51-33 early in the year at the Pelahatchie Tournament,” McBrayer said. &#8220While they’re not the same team as last year, they still play really good defense.”

The Mize boys and St. Al follow at 11:30 a.m. The Flashes are 16-5 overall and 7-0 inside division play. They beat the Bulldogs 54-36 at the Pelahatchie Tournament.

Vicksburg and Newton County square off at 1 p.m. in the girls contest and then the boys follow.

The day caps with the Cleveland Lady Wildcats (8-15) taking on Warren Central (17-6) at 4 p.m. and the Vikings (12-6) meeting the Wildcats (4-16) at 5:30.