Rockets battle West Point tough as season ends in Class 5A North State finals

The Neshoba Central basketball teams return to action this week with two games on the schedule.

The Rockets were to host Choctaw Central on Tuesday and visit Southeast Lauderdale on Friday.

The Rockets enter the week with a 5-1 record while the girls stand at 3-4.

The Rockets will be picking up several players from the football team, which ended its season last week. Joining the roster will be Bryce Parkerson, Gyx Easily, Ty Matthews and Elijah Ruffin.

"We'll get them ready to go as quickly as we can," Coach Jerry Byrd said. "They are competitors and some can become starters. They worked with us over the summer."



Leake Academy

Leake will get back to action with a full week of games, including a pair of home contests.

Leake will host Simpson Academy on Tuesday in a matchup of two of the state's better girls teams. On Thursday, Leake will host Canton Academy before hitting the road on Saturday for another good girls games as the Lady Rebels will get tested at Jackson Academy. Saturday's games start at 1 p.m. with junior high games. Tuesday and Thursday's games start at 4 p.m. in Madden with junior high games.

Union

Union also returns from the Thanksgiving holidays with a full slate of games this week.

Both Union teams will put their undefeated record to the test when they host Leake County on Tuesday.

Both teams then head to the Sebastopol Tournament starting on Thursday as they take on Class 4A Newton County starting with a girls contest at 4 p.m. Union will then play on Friday and Saturday depending on the outcome of Thursday's games.



Philadelphia

With a week of practice under their belt, the Philadelphia boys will get a couple of stern tests this week.

The Tornadoes will play for the first time with their football players on Tuesday at they travel to Carthage to take on the highly touted Leake Central Gators.

Philadelphia will then travel to East Webster on Thursday and Friday as they take on the host Wolverines on Thursday, starting at 6 p.m. with the girls contest. On Friday, Philadelphia will return to East Webster and take on J.Z. George in pair of high school games that start at 4 p.m.