HIGH SCHOOL

FULL COURT PRESS: Top H.S. games Friday and Saturday

Michael Odom
michodom@jacksonsun.com

FRIDAY

North Side (12-9, 3-4) at Liberty (7-16, 2-5) Boys

Players to watch: North Side's Diego Womack; Liberty's Ashton Willis

Earlier this season: North Side won at home 50-44 on Jan. 13 for the first time since Nov. 2010.

Notes: North Side is coming off of its biggest win of the season as the Indians went to Covington to pick up a win. The struggle in the second half of the season for North Side has been consistency. The Indians have not strung two wins together yet. The same could be said about Liberty. The Crusaders have lost four of their last five games, and with North Side, Ripley and Covington coming up, things get even tougher.

Lexington (18-3, 8-0) at South Side (14-7, 7-1) Boys

Players to watch: Lexington's Nick Marshall; South Side's Chris McNeal

Earlier this season: Lexington won at home 71-66 on Jan. 13.

Notes: A win here by Lexington guarantees the Tigers the No. 1 seed in the District 14-AA tournament. South Side needs to win to have a shot at the No. 1 seed. These two teams are guaranteed the top two seeds. Lexington has won 12 of its last 13 games with the lone loss coming against Whitney Young (Ill.). South Side has won 10 of its last 12 games with the losses coming against Lexington and Ridgeway.

Dresden (10-10, 8-4) at McKenzie (20-3, 12-1) Boys

Players to watch: Dresden's Quincy McDonald; McKenzie's Jack Surber

Earlier this season: McKenzie won on the road 55-41 on Jan. 6.

Notes: McKenzie has reeled off 17 straight wins and is one of the hottest teams in West Tennessee right now. The Rebels are already guaranteed the No. 1 seed in the District 13-A tournament. McKenzie is back at full strength with Breshaun Oglesby back in playing rhythm. Dresden could finish anywhere between the No. 2 to the No. 4 seed, so wins right now are important for the Lions.

Lexington (15-5, 7-1) at South Side (19-4, 7-1) Girls

Players to watch: Lexington's Brilee Bromley; South Side's Cheyenne Cunningham

Earlier this season: Lexington won at home 61-50 on Jan. 13.

Notes: The reward for the winner is the No. 1 seed in the District 14-AA tournament. The loser will more than likely finish second. South Side played one of its worst defensive games in the first meeting, so the Lady Hawks will look to up the intensity on defense. Lexington is led by their shooting, and the Lady Tigers hit the needed shots at home. But hitting shots on the road can be more difficult.

Riverside (17-5, 9-1) at Middleton (23-0, 10-0) Girls

Players to watch: Riverside's Holly Chumney; Middleton's Averyale Joy

Earlier this season: Middleton won on the road 55-54 on Jan. 6.

Notes: This was the first time that Middleton had to play without Deja Faulkner in a big game. Riverside is also one of the toughest places to play on the road. Middleton can also be a tough place to play, so the Lady Panthers will have to be close to error free to have a shot. Middleton will look to push the ball, while Riverside is more methodical with its offense.

Trenton Peabody (15-10, 9-5) at Union City (16-11, 11-3) Girls

Players to watch: Union City's Raven Fair; Peabody's Moesha Marsh

Earlier this season: Union City won on the road 53-49 on Dec. 18.

Notes: Trenton Peabody ends the District 14-A schedule with the three top teams in the district. The Lady Tide fell by one to Greenfield on Tuesday, and now they have a road trip to Union City before ending with a home game against Gibson County. A win in each of these last two district games could really be a big confidence booster for Peabody, and it would also guarantee them a home game in the quarterfinals of the district tournament.

Gleason (14-9, 10-3) at Huntingdon (13-9, 8-5) Girls

Players to watch: Gleason's Jayden Green; Huntingdon's Jesica Keith

Earlier this season: Gleason won at home 47-45 on Jan. 6.

Notes: This is the district finale for both teams. Gleason needs a win to at least tie for the No. 2 spot in the district. Huntingdon is looking at the No. 4 seed unless something drastic happens. But a win over one of the other top four teams in District 13-A is a momentum boost a week before the district tournament begins. Both of these teams are young, and players are still learning how to improve in their roles on the court.

Westview (17-9, 8-0) at Dyersburg (20-3, 5-2) Girls

Players to watch: Westview's Dianna Flippen; Dyersburg's Myah Taylor

Earlier this season: Westview won at home 44-37 on Jan. 13.

Notes: Westview is on a 13-game winning streak, and with a win here, the Lady Chargers can secure the No. 1 seed in the District 13-AA tournament. If Dyersburg can pull off the win, the Lady Trojans will take a big step toward securing a top-two seed. Westview picked up the win at home, but the Lady Trojans play much better in their home surroundings. Dyersburg is 11-0 at home this season.

SATURDAY

USJ (20-4) at Jackson Christian (8-14) Girls

Players to watch: USJ's Anna Jones; Jackson Christian's Peyton Prescott

Earlier this year: USJ won at home 57-53 on Dec. 6.

Notes: USJ is on an eight-game winning streak, and the Lady Bruins are looking to continue that momentum right into the postseason. The game was close at USJ earlier, and Jackson Christian wants to even up the series to gain some momentum of its own. The Lady Eagles have won four of their last six games heading into Friday's game against TCA.

Westview (19-7) at Gibson County (25-3) Girls

Players to watch: Westview's Tasia Jones; Gibson County's McKenna Upchurch

Earlier this season: Gibson County won on the road 60-25 on Nov. 18.

Notes: Gibson County won the first meeting easily, but Westview is much improved since November. The Lady Chargers could be on a 14-game winning streak – if they beat Dyersburg Friday – or trying to rebound from a loss. Gibson County is still learning to play without post Justyce White, but that loss will be short lived as White should be back shortly. A good test for both teams late in the season to see how far they have come.

Compiled by Michael Odom