The Region 3 bowling tournament is scheduled for Monday at the Leisure Time center on Keith Street in Cleveland, where Rhea County topped McMinn County's boys and Walker Valley's girls for the District 5 championships this past Thursday. Beginning at 10 a.m., those four teams will square off against the District 6 representatives: Soddy-Daisy's champion boys and girls and the Signal Mountain boys and Hixson girls. If schools are still out Monday, the tournament could be moved to Tuesday. As in other TSSAA sports, region champions will host state sectionals and region runners-up will travel for sectional matches to advance to the state tournament Jan. 19-21 in Smyrna.
Basketball
- Dalton State's ninth-ranked NAIA men's basketball team overwhelmed visiting Bethel (Tenn.) 80-60 in a Southern States Athletic Conference game Saturday at Mashburn Arena. Isaiah Box scored 16 points and Sayvon Wilson had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Roadrunners (12-1, 4-1), while J'Quayvon Williams had 12 points.
- Visiting Valdosta State defeated Lee University in two close Gulf South Conference basketball games Saturday, 80-78 in the women's contest and 76-72 in the men's. Madi Mitchell had 28 points and 13 rebounds for the VSU women (8-4, 5-1), who trailed by 15 at halftime, and Sonya Franklin had six assists with 12 points, including the winning layup with one second left. Erin Walsh had 28 points with four 3-pointers and four assists for the Lady Flames (9-3, 4-2). Shelby Brown had 10 points and nine rebounds, and Carrie Cheeks collected eight rebounds. Jeremiah Hill led the male Blazers (9-3, 4-2) with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists, Josh Lemons adding 13 points, seven assists and four steals. For Lee (6-6, 2-4), Keevin Tyus and Parker Suedekum scored 15 and 14 points and Cody Jones and Isaac Merian tallied 10 apiece.
- Tre Tiller had 21 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and five steals as the Tennessee Wesleyan men won 100-79 in an Appalachian Athletic Conference basketball doubleheader at St. Andrews in Laurinburg, N.C. QD Cox added 20 points with three 3s for the Bulldogs (10-4, 7-2), and Jordan Hall and Will Gardner scored 13 and 10 points. The Lady Bulldogs improved to 9-7, 7-3 in the AAC, with an 81-73 victory, their fifth win in a row. Madison Walkup was 5-of-7 on 3-pointers and scored 17 points, while Hunter Simpson had 15 points and eight rebounds and Gina Dick and Savannah Dick contributed 11 and 10 points and seven rebounds each. LeeAysia Williamson had 24 points and four steals and Ellen Dukes had 13 rebounds with 14 points for the six-player home team.
- Bryan College's scheduled AAC doubleheader Saturday at Montreat in North Carolina was postponed due to icy travel conditions.
- The Covenant College basketball games scheduled for Saturday afternoon on Lookout Mountain were postponed because of travel conditions. The Lady Scots were to play Salem from North Carolina before the Scots hosted Huntingdon from Montgomery, Ala.
- The Cleveland State teams' scheduled return to play after the holidays was postponed against Wallace State from Hanceville, Ala. The Lady Cougars (8-5) are to play Tuesday night at the Milligan junior varsity, and both Cleveland State teams will play next Saturday at Chattanooga State. The Cougars are 9-2, 4-2 in the TCCAA.
- The Georgia Northwestern men's basketball team returned to action after a long holiday break with a 66-50 loss Friday to the College of the Bahamas in the Florida College Invitational. The Bobcats (4-5) were led by eight points apiece from Darrius Fugh and Demonte Parker. They were to play Florida College on Saturday evening.
Baseball
- University of Georgia baseball coach Scott Stricklin's appearance at the Walker County Civic Center is set for Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and admission costs $5. Concession-style food will be provided, according to event organizers. For tickets or more information contact Carl Quinn at colctq@gmail.com or 423-413-4671 or Rick Wilson at rickw34@aol.com or 423-994-2181. In three seasons directing the Bulldogs, Stricklin has created a buzz around the program and has returned the team to the SEC tournament.
General
- Times Free Press staff writer Gene Henley will be the guest speaker as the Chattanooga Quarterback Club resumes its noon luncheon meetings Monday at Finley Stadium, and the public is invited. Attendance costs $10 with a meal, $4 without. Henley is the newspaper's beat writer for UTC men's and women's basketball as well as football and other UTC sports and the Chattanooga Football Club.