It might be the middle of baseball season, but it’s time to reward some deserving players who showed off their talents on the area’s hardwood this year.

That’s right, it’s time for The Natchez Democrat’s All-Metro basketball teams.

The girls and boys teams will be announced this week, with the girls on one day and the boys on the next.

Just like it was in football, this year’s All-Metro team will be hard to pick with all the outstanding athletes and teams this past season.

On the girls side, Franklin County went the farthest in the playoffs, advancing to the MHSAA Class 3A championship game before falling to perennial powerhouse Southeast Lauderdale.

Other area girls teams made an impact in postseason play as well.

Trinity Episcopal, Tensas Academy, Centreville advanced to the MPSA South State Tournament with Tensas and Centreville advancing to the State Tournament.

Ferriday and Natchez High girls also enjoyed a great season, with the Lady Bulldogs advancing to the MHSAA Class 5A South State Tournament and the Lady Trojans advancing to the second round of the LHSAA Class 2A playoffs, before falling in double overtime.

The girls weren’t the only ones hooping it up this winter. Many of the area’s boys teams also experienced great success.

No team had more success than the Ferriday Trojans.

The Trojans advanced to the LHSAA Top 28 Tournament in Lafayette for the first time since 1989 and came within one victory of a state championship.

The Trojans weren’t the only team that had a great march to the State Playoffs.

The Trinity Saints also made it deep into postseason, winning the MPSA Class AA South State Tournament and finishing runner-up in the State Tournament, which allowed them to advance to the Overall Tournament.

Jefferson County was the third team to make it deep into the playoffs, advancing to the MHSAA Class 3A semifinals before a two-point loss to Columbia.

While those three teams advanced at least to the championship game of their respective classifications, Cathedral had almost as impressive of a season, winning the most games in the program’s history and advancing to the South State Tournament.

Just listing all the accomplishments from our area schools makes me realize just how much basketball talent there is in the Miss-Lou.

I look forward to going through the long list of names I have in front of me and selecting the All-Metro team as well and coach and player of the year for the girls and boys.

We have so many deserving players who had such a great year, it is a shame the award can only go to one player.

But no matter who takes the awards, every athlete that participated this past season deserves some accolades.

Everyone is important to a team’s success, and all should be saluted for a great season of high school hoops.

Jeff Edwards is the sports editor of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3633 or jeff.edwards@natchezdemocrat.com.