Another great basketball season is right around the corner and it is sneaking up on us fast. The addition of Class 7A has shaken the whole state up as far as how the divisions will play out this year. I’m having a hard time remembering who went where and with all of the shake up. Here is a little cheat sheet for me and anyone looking to get it figured out.
Class 1A
Region 1
Baldwyn
Biggersville
Thrasher
Tremont
Tupelo Christian
Wheeler
Notes: Baldwyn and Biggersville in the same division? Which of the hoops powers can win it this year?
Region 2
Ashland
Falkner
H. W. Byers
Jumpertown
Myrtle
Pine Grove
Notes: Pine Grove and Byers look to be the stronger contenders in this division.
Region 3
Blue Mountain
Coffeeville
Coldwater
Hickory Flat
Potts Camp
Strayhorn
Notes: I look forward to catching Coffeeville in some Northeast MS action this year.
Region 4
Houlka
Okolona
Smithville
Vardaman
West Lowndes
West Union
Notes: West Union looks to be really strong this year.
Region 5
Leland
McEvans
Simmons
South Delta
West Bolivar
West Tallahatchie
Notes: This region is very tough from top to bottom.
Region 6
Ethel
French Camp
McAdams
Nanih Waiya
Noxapater
Velma Jackson
Region 7
Leake County
Mount Olive
Mississippi School For The Deaf
Piney Woods
Stringer
Taylorsville
Notes: Leake County rolls in this region?
Region 8
East Marion
Enterprise Lincoln
Lumberton
Resurrection Catholic
Sacred Heart
Salem
Class 2A
Region 1
East Union
Hamilton
Hatley
New Site
Walnut
Notes: New Site looks to be the favorite here but don’t sleep on Hatley.
Region 2
Bruce
Calhoun City
Ingomar
M. S. Palmer
Water Valley
Notes: Ingomar will be playing in a lot of new territories with this alignment. This region could be very interesting.
Region 3
Charleston
Leflore County
Northside
O’bannon
Riverside
Notes: Can Northside dominate with the departure of Coahoma County?
Region 4
Eupora
J Z George
Philadelphia
Sebastopol
Union
Region 5
Bay Springs
Clarkdale
Lake
Newton
Scott Central
Region 6
Pelahatchie
Pisgah
Puckett
Raleigh
St. Andrew’s Episcopal
Region 7
Amite County
Bogue Chitto
Loyd Star
West Lincoln
Wilkinson County
Region 8
Collins
Heidelberg
Mize
North Forrest
Richton
Class 3A
Region 1
Alcorn Central
Belmont
Booneville
Kossuth
Mantachie
Notes: This region looks normal and Booneville will dominate no matter what division they are in.
Region 2
Coahoma County
Holly Springs
Independence
North Panola
Rosa Fort
Notes: Coahoma County in 3A? The most dominant 2A team in the last decade steps up for a big challenge.
Region 3
Amanda Elzy
Humphreys County
Thomas E. Edwards
Winona
Yazoo County
Region 4
Aberdeen
Choctaw County
East Webster
Mooreville
Nettleton
Notes: Choctaw County and East Webster move up to 3A. Nettleton looks like the favorite here.
Region 5
Enterprise Clarke
Kemper County
McLaurin
Noxubee County
Southeast Lauderdale
Region 6
Crystal Springs
Hazlehurst
Jefferson Davis County
Magee
Seminary
Region 7
Franklin
Jefferson County
Port Gibson
South Pike
Wesson
Region 8
Perry Central
St. Patrick
St. Stanislaus/Our Lady Academy
Tylertown
West Marion
Class 4A
Region 1
Amory
Itawamba
Ripley
Shannon
Tishomingo County
Region 2
Byhalia
New Albany
North Pontotoc
Senatobia
South Pontotoc
Notes: South Pontotoc will be tough this year.
Region 3
Caledonia
Greenwood
Houston
Kosciusko
Louisville
Notes: Caledonia is way out of place in this region logistically.
Region 4
Choctaw Central
Leake Central
Newton County
Northeast Lauderdale
West Lauderdale
Region 5
Forest
Mendenhall
Morton
Northeast Jones
Quitman
Region 6
Lanier
McComb
Raymond
Richland
Wingfield
Notes: Raymond!
Region 7
Columbia
Forrest County
Lawrence County
Purvis
Sumrall
Region 8
Bay
Greene County
Moss Point
Pass Christian
Poplarville
Class 5A
Region 1
Corinth
New Hope
West Point
Clarksdale
Lafayette
Pontotoc
Notes: This looks weird as heck but I love it.
Region 2
Canton
Cleveland Central
Gentry
Greenville
Holmes County Central
Yazoo City
Notes: Holy smokes this region is stacked.
Region 3
Brookhaven
Florence
Natchez
North Pike
Provine
South Jones
Region 4
East Central
Gautier
Laurel
Stone
Vancleave
Wayne County
Class 6A
Region 1
Center Hill
Grenada
Lake Cormorant
Olive Branch
Saltillo
South Panola
Notes: Saltillo will be spending a lot of fuel money this year. But I look forward to seeing these teams when they come to the NE MS area.
Region 2
Callaway
Columbus
Neshoba Central
Ridgeland
Vicksburg
Warren Central
Notes: Columbus may spend more fuel money than Saltillo this year?
Region 3
Forest Hill
Hattiesburg
Jim Hill
Pearl River Central
Terry
West Jones
Region 4
George County
Hancock
Long Beach
Pascagoula
Picayune
West Harrison
Class 7A
Region 1
Desoto Central
Hernando
Horn Lake
Lewisburg
Oxford
Southaven
Notes: I’m really feeling Oxford this year.
Region 2
Clinton
Germantown
Madison Central
Murrah
Starkville
Tupelo
Notes: Tupelo and Coach Green get to go back to all of his old stomping grounds and the Jackson Metro area.
Region 3
Brandon
Meridian
Northwest Rankin
Oak Grove
Pearl
Petal
Region 4
Biloxi
D’Iberville
Gulfport
Harrison Central
Ocean Springs
St Martin
Magnolia Hoops 