AREA BASKETBALL: Athens, Tanner face elimination games

Published 6:15 am Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The first round of area tournaments are some of the most nerve-racking games for high school basketball coaches.

Win, and you are guaranteed two more games and a spot in the post-season. Lose, and your season can end without a moment’s notice. That’s the reality many high school boys basketball teams face tonight when they begin area basketball tournaments in North Alabama.

Athens faces a tough road back to the Northwest Regional Tournament, beginning tonight when the Golden Eagles travel to Hazel Green in the 6A Area 16 Tournament. Despite playing the top-seeded team in the opening round, Athens can take solace in its previous results against the Trojans this season.

Athens lost in overtime in the first meeting at Hazel Green then beat the Trojans in their return trip to Athens a few weeks ago. Defending 6A runners-up Muscle Shoals will play Florence in a different tournament game tonight.

Tanner is in danger of ending one of the state’s longest postseason streaks when the Rattlers travel to Sheffield for the 2A Area 16 Tournament. The Rattlers have won 18 out of their last 20 area tournaments and have advanced to the Northwest Regional Tournament for 17 consecutive years.

Tanner will play Mars Hill at 6 p.m. for a chance to advance to the sub-regional playoff round. The teams split in two previous games played this season.

In other area tournaments tonight, Lindsay Lane and Athens Bible school will face one another in an elimination game at Decatur Heritage and East Limestone travels to Russellville in the 5A Area 15 Tournament.

The top two teams from each area tournament advance to the sub-regional playoff round. The area champion will host a sub-regional game with the chance to advance to one of four regional tournaments. Sub-regional games will be played Feb. 13-14 with regional tournaments taking place Feb. 15-23.

The full schedule of tonight’s game involving local teams:

Tuesday, Feb. 7

Boys

6A Area 16 at Hazel Green

Hazel Green vs. Athens, 6 p.m.

Florence vs. Muscle Shoals, 7:30 p.m.

5A Area 16 at Russellville

Brooks vs. East Limestone, 6 p.m.

Russellville vs. Lawrence County, 7:30 p.m.

3A Area 15 at East Lawrence

West Morgan vs. Elkmont, 6 p.m.

Clements vs. East Lawrence, 7:30 p.m.

2A Area 16 at Sheffield

Tanner vs. Mars Hill, 6 p.m.

Sheffield vs. Hatton, 7:30 p.m.

1A Area 16 at Decatur Heritage

Lindsay Lane vs. Athens Bible, 7:30 p.m.

Girls

7A Area 8 at Sparkman

James Clemens vs. Sparkman, 6 p.m.