NOTE: After reading, please leave your comments in the space provided at the end of this article.

The Sand Rock Wildcats and Cedar Bluff Tigers will be making return trips to Jacksonville for this week’s Northeast Regional Basketball Tournament. 

For the Wildcats, a regional championship would mean a third straight trip to the Class 2A Final Four in Birmingham.  For Cedar Bluff the tournament is an opportunity to prolong a stellar season that has brought four tournament championships and the No. 2 ranking in the state in Class 1A. 

Cedar Bluff will get to Pete Mathews Coliseum on the campus of Jacksonville State first. The Tigers get the nightcap on Tuesday when they tangle with Faith Christian at 7:30 p.m.  Cedar Bluff (26-3) and Faith (16-12) met last month,  with the Tigers coming out on top 78-65. 

Cedar Bluff will rely on the senior leadership of forward Tyric Scales, guard Marcus Reese and forward Tony McGinnis.  Sophomore forward DeAngelo Hardy and Raheid Harris at the point should round out the starting line-up. Terrance Scales, Evan McBurnett, and Robert Henderson will also provide valuable minutes for coach Joe Carpenter’s team. 

Tuesday night the Sand Rock boys complete the second half of a Wildcat doubleheader, as the Lady Cats will be at center stage at 6 p.m. Brian Mackey’s boys roll onto the court at 7:30 p.m. 

Sand Rock (21-9) took down the No. 7-ranked North Sand Mountain Bison to gain admittance to regional and now they are starring down No. 9 Holy Family (14-12).

If the Rock boys clear this hurdle they will get the winner of the top- ranked Vincent (24-6) vs. No. 3-ranked Section (27-4).   

Sand Rock is led by the sharp shooting senior tandem of Brannon Burt and Justin Kyser. But the Wildcat well doesn’t run dry after that dynamic duo. Bookend junior forwards Chad Thompson and Matt Graham have made teams pay dearly when the attention has been shifted away from them.  Doug Mackey, at 6-foot-5, has improved steadily in the center for Sand Rock. Pivotal roles will be played by senior Cody Beck and freshman Dylan Mackey if the Rock will roll into the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center for a third straight year.  

Gaston (1A), Collinsville (1A), Piedmont (3A),  and Gadsden City (6A) boys will also be participating at Jacksonville State. Admission is $8 per day.