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Ke'Darius Stampley goes up for a layup during a Natchez High School Bulldogs basketball practice. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

Ja'kel Barnes and Standrick Starks battle for the ball during a Natchez High Bulldogs practice last week. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

Mercedes Sewell focuses intently on making a free throw during Monday's practice for Natchez High Lady Bulldogs. Alphaka Moore, head coach for Natchez High Lady Bulldogs basketball, said free throws are going to be key in the district game against Jim Hill High School today. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

Kelvonda Arburnot grabs the rebound during Monday's practice against Kyla Butler for the Natchez High Lady Bulldogs. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

Tremecia Proby (No. 41) tries to shoot while Deawshanae Combs (No. 22) defends. Both were working on boxing each other out for the rebound during Monday’s practice. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — Natchez High Bulldogs boys basketball will play against Wingfield High School Falcons in the semifinal round of the MHSAA Class 5A-Region 6 tourney at 7:30 p.m. today at Siwell Middle School in Jackson.

Natchez High comes into the Region 6 tournament after a loss to Class 5A foe Canton High on Feb. 7 in the final game of the regular season. Canton High won 66-46 over Natchez High.

Today is the third time this season both Natchez and Wingfield are playing against each other. The teams played against each other for the first time in the season back on Jan. 10 where Wingfield earned a 64-40 victory over Natchez.

The Bulldogs latest game against the Falcons came on Jan. 31 at home. Natchez came away with a 64-60 victory over Wingfield.

To earn the second victory against WIngfield, the Bulldogs need both James Singleton and KeDarius Stampley to come up huge for them in today’s game.

In the last Region 6 game against Wingfield, Stampley led the Bulldogs with 24 points. Singleton was second on the team with 13 points. Five seniors will play in their final Class 5A-Region 6 tournament today.

“I think this is the most competitive region in Class 5A that I have played in,” Stampley said.

In the Region 6 tournament, Natchez is the No. 3 seed while Wingfield is the No. 2 seed. To prepare for the third meeting between the Falcons, Natchez High Head Coach David Haywood said the Bulldogs focused on both their offensive and defensive schemes during Monday’s practice.

The winner of the game between Natchez High and Wingfield will play against either Forest Hill or Jim Hill. Tip off between Natchez High and Wingfield is at 7:30 p.m. today at Siwell Middle School in Jackson.

Natchez girls basketball

The Natchez High Lady Bulldogs will play against the Jim Hill Lady Tigers in the first round of the MHSAA Class 5A-Region 6 girls tournament at 6 p.m. today at Siwell Middle School in Jackson.

The Lady Bulldogs come off of a 45-24 victory over the Canton High Lady Tigers on Feb. 7.

Natchez High is the No. 3 seed in the MHSAA Class 5A-Region 6 tournament and will take on the No. 2 seed Jim Hill Lady Tigers. In the regular season, the Lady Bulldogs played two games against the Lady Tigers. The first game was on Jan. 14 and Natchez High earned a 41-37 victory over Jim Hill. Jim Hill earned a 53-34 victory against Natchez High on Jan. 24.

Alphaka Moore, Natchez High girls’ basketball head coach, said the Lady Bulldogs focused on free throws, boxing out opponents and making layups, during Monday’s practice.

“The majority of the games we have lost were due to free throws and mis-communications,” Moore said. “You can’t have those things happen coming down to the wire in a tournament, especially today against Jim Hill.”

The winner of today’s game will face either the No. 1 seed Wingfield High Lady Falcons or the No. 4 seed Forest Hill High Lady Patriots.

Tip off is at 6 p.m. today between Natchez High and Jim Hill at Siwell Middle School in Jackson.

Other teams in action

The Jefferson County High Tigers and Wilkinson County High Wildcats boys basketball teams will play against each other in the first round of the MHSAA Class 3A-Region 7 at 6:30 p.m. today at Jefferson County High School.

The Tigers are the No. 5 seed while the Wildcats are the No. 4 seed. The winner between the two schools will play on Thursday in the semifinal round against No. 1 seed Port Gibson.

Meanwhile, the Lady Wildcats finished as the No. 4 seed for girls basketball in the MHSAA Class 3A-Region 7 standings.

Wilkinson County High will play against the No. 5 seed Port Gibson High at 5 p.m. today at Jefferson County. The winner between the two teams will play against No. 1 seed Franklin County High at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Jefferson County High Lady Tigers come into the Region 7 tournament as the No. 3 seed and will play against the No. 2 seed Hazlehurst High Lady Indians on Thursday in the semifinal round.

Tip off between WCHS and Port Gibson is at 5 p.m. today at Jefferson County High School in the first round of the MHSAA Class 3A-Region 7 tournament.

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