Basketball team opens

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Lady Lions basketball teams opened the season last Friday in Hermleigh, dropping the game 51-24.

Albany was scheduled to be back on the local court on Saturday against Huckabay, but the game was been cancelled because of the volleyball playoffs, according to coach Tate Thompson.

The Lady Lions are also on the schedule to host Rule on Tuesday, Nov. 17 starting at 5:00 p.m.

Currently, the Lady Lions are able to put a combined team on the floor since several players are still involved in volleyball.

The coach said that he has five or six varsity players on the team along with about the same number of JV players. Thompson said that he is expecting seven or eight volleyball players to join the squad when the volleyball season ends.

“Hermleigh has a good team, and we needed to see some good competition,” he said. “This was a chance to show some of our younger girls the speed and competition level of a varsity game.”

Scoring for the Lady Lions were Elia Hebel 10, Traci Isbell 5, Brylee Moore 5, and Tana Thompson 4.

Hebel was listed as the offensive standout by the coach.

Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, basketball teams across the state will not be allowed to play in tournaments as a precaution.

The Lady Lions are joining District 10-2A this season along with former district foes Hawley, Stamford and Haskell. Added to the mix this year will be Cisco, Anson, and Hamlin.

“This will be a very competitive district,” the coach said. “We are going into an interesting district race.”

The Lady Lions advanced to the third round of the playoffs last season.