Prep basketball schedule
TonightRegion 3-AA boys’ final at Chattanooga StateBrainerd vs. Central, 7 Girls’ state sectionals at higher seedsClass AMeigs County at South Greene, 7 Boyd-Buchanan at Clarkrange, 8 Pickett County at Van Buren County, 8Class AAMurfreesboro Central Magnet at McMinn Central, 7 Tuesday, March 3Boys’ state sectionals at higher seedsClass AMeigs County at South Greene/Hampton winner, 7 Arts & Sciences at Clay County, 8 Goodpasture at Van Buren County, 8Class AALivingston Academy at Central/Brainerd winner, 7 Central/Brainerd loser at Cannon County, 8Class AAABradley Central at Blackman, 8
If familiarity does in fact breed contempt, then the city’s most heated high school basketball rivalry is now undeniably Brainerd against Central.
For the fifth time this season — all within less than two and a half months — those two boys’ teams will face one another tonight. The Region 3-AA championship and the right to host a state sectional are on the line when the Panthers and Purple Pounders meet at 7 at Chattanooga State Community College.
After their semifinal wins Saturday at Loudon, the teams got permission to move the final to a local neutral site.
“It’s an unusual situation, that’s for sure,” said Central coach Rick Rogers, whose team has won 10 straight games. The Pounders’ last loss was to Brainerd in mid-January.