The third annual Battle on the Hardwood Classic, hosted by Bossier High and featuring an outstanding field of 19 girls teams, starts today and runs through Saturday.
Bossier faces Parkway at 3 p.m. Wednesday in the event’s opening game at Bossier.
Benton, the defending District 1-4A champion and a Class 4A semifinalist last season, is also competing. The Lady Tigers are facing some formidable opponents.
Benton plays defending District 1-5A champion Captain Shreve at 5:30 Thursday. The Lady Gators reached the Class 5A semifinals last season.
Friday, the Lady Tigers Warren Easton at 8 in a rematch of last season’s semifinal game won by the Fighting Eagles 64-54.
Benton closes the event against North Caddo on Saturday at 7:40. The Lady Rebels have won the Class 2A state championship three of the last four seasons, including last season.
Other teams in the field are Booker T. Washington, Mansfield, El Dorado, Ark., Byrd, Red River, Woodlawn, Green Oaks, Captain Shreve, Loyola, Southwood, Hammond, Rayville and Delhi.
Delhi is the defending Class 1A state champion. Red River reached the Class 2A semifinals last season, losing to North Caddo 59-50.
Loyola was a Division II semifinalist last season. Rayville reached the Class 2A quarterfinals.
Bossier was a Class 4A quarterfinalist last season. But new head coach Cherise Sims has an inexperienced team this season. Bossier lost two first-team and one second-team All-Parish players to graduation.
Sims was the founder of the Battle of the Hardwood Classic when she was the head coach at Fair Park.
SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY
At Bossier
Bossier vs. Parkway, 3
BTW vs. Mansfield, 4:15
El Dorado, Ark., vs. Byrd, 5:30
Red River vs. Woodlawn, 6:45
Captain Shreve vs. North Caddo 8
THURSDAY
At Bossier
Bossier vs. Green Oaks, 3
BTW vs. Mansfield, 4:15
Benton vs. Captain Shreve, 5:30
North Caddo vs. Warren Easton, 6:45
Loyola vs. Southwood, 8
FRIDAY
At Bossier
Red River vs. Hammond, 3
Southwood vs. Mansfield, 4:15
Hammond vs. Captain Shreve, 5:30
Bossier vs. Natchitoches Central, 6:45
Benton vs. Warren Easton, 8
At Rusheon Middle School
BTW vs. Byrd, 4
Parkway vs. Rayville, 5:15
Loyola vs. Woodlawn, 6:30
Hammond vs. Captain Shreve, 7:45
SATURDAY
At Bossier
Delhi vs. Parkway, 9 a.m.
Byrd vs. Green Oaks, 10:20
Rayville vs. El Dorado, 11:40
Mansfield vs. Warren Easton, 1 p.m.
Natchitoches Central vs. Loyola, 2:20
El Dorado vs. Delhi, 3:40
Red River vs. Southwood, 5
Bossier vs. Rayville, 6:20
Benton vs. North Caddo, 7:40
