Bring On Basketball-11/20/08

By Clint Cox

Photo Caption:
Pictured here is Marianna Sonny’s Manager Mr. Tim Parr presenting a check for the annual Sonny’s Tip Off Tournament to be held at Marianna High Gym on November 20 and November 22. Contributed Photo

Volleyball is over and with the exception of Marianna and Graceville, most of the county has hung up their football cleats and equipment for another season. For the county’s hoop fans, that means it is time to bring on the basketball season.

Most of the county’s high school girls basketball teams began regular season play this week while the boys squads are involved in several pre-season tip off tournaments. On Tuesday some of the girls action including Sneads at Malone and Marianna at Graceville. One of those tip-off tournaments for the boys taking place at Marianna High School. The "Sonny’s Tip Off Tournament" is sponsored by Sonny’s Bar-B-Que and includes three of the county’s five varsity boy’s squads. Marianna, Cottondale and Malone will be hitting the hardwoods. Non-county teams participating in the tournament include Bay High, Maclay and Rutherford. Tournament action will be on Thursday and Saturday. On Thursday Malone battles Bay at 4:30 pm, Cottondale takes on Rutherford at 6 pm and Marianna squares off against Maclay at 8 pm. On Saturday Cottondale matches up with Maclay at 4:30, Malone will play Rutherford at 6 pm and Marianna and Bay High do battle at 8 pm.

A pre-season tournament is also being played at Sneads. On Tuesday night Wewahitchka defeated Altha in the first game, Blountstown beat West Gadsden 59-39 and in the night cap Sneads fell to Franklin County 51-40. The Pirates kept the game close as they trailed 12-10 at the end of the first quarter. John Locke’s three pointer gave the Pirates a brief 1 point lead at 13-12 and then Terrance Pittman later tied the game at 15-15. Franklin County got a run at the end of the first half to take a 25-20 lead. Sneads trailed at the end of the third quarter by a score of 36-38. Pittman led the Pirates with 10 points while Locke followed with 9 and Justin Neal added 8 points. On Thursday night the action will include Franklin County taking on Wewahitchka, Blountstown playing Altha and Sneads will host West Gadsden in the final game of the evening.