Covington's Brandon Alston dunks during Saturday's quarterfinal win over Raleigh-Egypt. Photo by David Perry
Over the past few days, five of the eight area high school basketball teams saw their seasons end. The other three – Covington’s boys and girls and the Tipton-Rosemark girls – are still alive. All three play this week and each has a legitimate chance to bring home a state tournament trophy.
Here’s an update:
• Behind 23 points from Felia Fayne and 18 from NaKya Gilliam, the Covington girls beat Craigmont 77-22 Friday night at home in the Region 8-AA quarterfinals.
The Lady Chargers now move on to a semifinal game today at 6 p.m. against Mitchell at Wooddale High School. A loss ends the season. A win means Covington will play Haywood or Melrose on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Wooddale in the region title game. Region champs host a sectional game Saturday, while losers travel. Sectional winners advance to the state tournament in Murfreesboro.
Westview, the state’s third-ranked team, and Dyersburg are likely sectional opponents if Covington wins tonight.
• Covington’s boys, which beat Raleigh-Egypt 77-69 Saturday night at home in a Region 8-AA quarterfinal game, plays Fayette-Ware on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Wooddale in a region semifinal game. The loser is done while the winner moves on to the region title game Thursday against Bolivar or Wooddale, the state’s second-ranked team. Region champs host a sectional game Saturday, while losers travel. Sectional winners advance to the state tournament in Murfreesboro.
Fayette-Ware and Covington split two games during the regular season.
If Covington can get past Fayette-Ware, likely sectional opponents include South Gibson and Jackson South Side, which is undefeated and ranked number one in the state.
• The Tipton-Rosemark Academy girls beat Christ Presbyterian Academy last Tuesday and Knoxville Webb on Friday to advance to the DII-A state tournament for the first time in program history.
Rosemark plays a semifinal game Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at Libscomb University in Nashville against Trinity Christian Academy, the state’s top-ranked team. The winner moves on to the state title game Saturday at noon against Goodpasture or King’s Academy.
TCA beat Rosemark all three times the teams played this season, most recently 60-52 on Feb. 22 in the DII-A West title game.
• Arlington ended the Brighton boys’ season Saturday, 60-46, in the Region 7-AAA quarterfinals.
• Cordova stopped Munford’s boys’ Saturday, 70-31, in another 7-AAA quarterfinal.
• Webb School put the Rosemark boys’ postseason run to an end last Wednesday with a 75-69 win at Rosemark.
• The season ended for Brighton’s girls last Friday in a 7-AAA double overtime loss to Bartlett, 67-62.
• In another 7-AAA quarterfinal, Munford’s girls lost 50-20 to Arlington.
