College basketball teams officially began preseason practicelast Friday. High school basketball teams in Mississippi have beenbusy preparing for the approaching season since Oct. 8, and a feware participating in jamborees this Saturday.

“What the heck. If football teams can have a jamboree beforetheir season starts, why can’t we do the same thing?” observed oneprep basketball coach.

Naturally, there is a competitive rivalry between differentsports. If it’s good for the goose, than it’s good for the gander,too.

For openers, Brookhaven travels to Tylertown Saturday for abasketball jamboree featuring 30-minute halves. Coach Freda Craft’sLady Panthers play Bassfield at 2 p.m. and Columbia at 3. ThePanthers, coached by Ronald Hines, face Bassfield at 2:30 andColumbia at 3:30.

Tylertown coach Lavern Lee said the hosts will play Bassfield at1 p.m. and 1:30. McComb and Tylertown will wind up the day playingat 5 and 5:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, at Wesson, girls coach Hugh Webb and boys coach RonKessler have initiated a jamboree of interest. The host Cobras andLady Cobras will be joined by teams from Enterprise, Copiah Academyand McComb Parklane Academy.

It will be a first for this area since the format featurespublic versus private schools. Action starts at 11 a.m., with theEnterprise girls meeting Copiah, followed by the Wesson girlsversus Parklane at 11:45.

The afternoon session, also featuring a 20-minute, running clockhalf, opens at 12:30 with Enterprise playing the Copiah boys.Wesson meets the Parklane boys at 1:15.

Obviously, the boys teams won’t be at full strength becauseseveral players are participating in football. If some footballcoaches had their way, the basketball goals wouldn’t be erecteduntil Dec. 1.

Unfortunately, overlapping athletic seasons have become the normand youngsters don’t have any rest or recovery time betweensports.

Meanwhile, Professor Hoopla B.S., was hoping for some rain tofall on his rye grass food plot. The most recent dusty, dry spell,mixed with golden rod pollen, has aggravated his schnozolla. Thatcould explain some of Hoopla’s misfires on the prognosticatingscene.

Last week Hoopla predicted the winners of 25 games and missed 9.Hoping for better results, he’ll start the weekend parade withthree Thursday night specials.

Hinds AHS at Wesson: Cobras prevail in anail-biter. Wesson 16-14.

Pearl River at Southwest: Bears are tough tobeat in Hurst Stadium. Southwest 21-17.

Delta State at North Alabama: UnbeatenStatesmen are ripe for an ambush in Florence versus the No.2-ranked Lions. Delta State 14-10.

Brookhaven at Port Gibson: If the officialsshow up, the Panthers should take care of business and escape nukecountry with a region victory. Brookhaven 30-6.

Brookhaven Academy at Columbia Academy: In abattle of the Cougars, Lincoln County’s felines spoil thehomecoming fest. Brookhaven Academy 31-12.

Bogue Chitto at Pisgah: Battling a letdown, theBobcats must regroup and dump the Dragons to stay in the regionrace. Bogue Chitto 32-18.

McLaurin at Enterprise: Fighting Yellow Jacketsare learning more about the Class 2A challenge. McLaurin 12-6.

St. Andrew’s at Loyd Star: Saints plan to wreckhomecoming festivities at William E. “Sambo” Smith Field. St.Andy’s 27-14.

West Lincoln at Pelahatchie: Bears won’t findany relief when they visit the Chiefs. Pelahatchie 20-12.

South Pike at Franklin County: A Region 7-3Ashowdown in Meadville provides plenty of excitement. FranklinCounty 28-21.

Lawrence County at Jefferson County: The Tigershave a big-play offense and a super quarterback but the Cougarshave a grind-it-out offense. Lawrence County 27-20.

In other area action, McComb should clipMendenhall 24-20, North Pike should stop Wilkinson County 30-8,Parklane should dump Presbyterian Christian 23-10, Hazlehurstshould whip Richland 42-12, Copiah Academy should sink SimpsonAcademy 28-14 and Crystal Springs should flood Bailey 33-6.

East Mississippi at Co-Lin: It’s a Saturdayhomecoming in Wesson and the Wolfpack scent a second straightvictory. Co-Lin 20-10.

Mississippi State at West Virginia: Bulldogsare thinking upset but the Mountaineers are thinking BCS bowl. WestVirginia 33-10.

Arkansas at Ole Miss: Razorbacks won’t need ablown call by the officials to handle the Rebels. Arkansas24-14.

Grambling at Jackson State: In a Tigerifficshowdown, the Capital City Blue Bengals prevail. Jackson State28-21.

Southern Miss at Marshall: In a Sunday nightspecial, the Golden Eagles chalk up a Conference-USA road victory.Southern Miss 21-10.

In other Magnolia State action, Southern U.over Alcorn State 38-14, Valley State over Texas Southern 19-14,Belhaven over Shorter 39-30, and Mississippi College over MaryHardin-Baylor 27-20. Millsaps has an open date to savor its 6-1worksheet.

Write to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER, P.O.BOX 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mailsports@dailyleader.com