By Brad Greer

North Delta School’s girls and boys basketball squads advanced to the Academy 1A North State tournament at Delta Academy after  third and fourth place finishes in the District tournament in Marvell, Ark. over the weekend.

Head coach Phil Douglas and his Lady Green Wave captured third place after defeating Desoto, Ark. 39-30 in the consolation game Saturday afternoon. North Delta (22-11) squared off against Immanuel Christian, the District 3 fourth-place finisher, Monday afternoon. A victory would assure them a second round clash with Bayou tomorrow at 4 p.m.

Bradi Beard led the way for North Delta in the victory over the Thunderbirds with 12 points, three assists and a pair of steals. Sara Waldrip followed with seven points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots. Lauren Kimzey and Linsey Hebert contributed with six and five points each while Laci DuBravec added three points and dished out four assists. Samantha Massoth and Hannah Waldrip chipped in with two points.

North Delta opened up the tournament on Thursday with a 45-25 thumping of Tunica. Kimzey paced the Wave with 11 points and three steals with DuBravec adding 10 points and four assists. Sara Waldrip pulled down 10 rebounds to go along with eight points while Hebert followed with six points, three steals and five boards. Jordan Pointer also had six points while Beard finished the night with four points and eight tips.

The Wave was knocked into the consolation game by virtue of a 39-24 loss to No. 1 ranked Marvell Friday night. The host Eagles outscored North Delta 25-10 in the second half after the score was deadlocked 14-14 at halftime.

Sara Waldrip and DuBravec led the way with nine points while Kimsey chipped in with four and Beard added six steals and two points in a losing effort. For her efforts, Waldrip was named to the All- Tournament and All District teams along with Kimsey and Herbert. Massoth garnered Honorable- Mention honors as well.

    On the boys side, North Delta eased past Marvell 55-33 in the first round before falling in the next two games by a combined eight points. the Green Wave fell 48-43 to Tunica Friday before dropping the consolation game 59-56 at the hands of West Memphis.

    The Green Wave will take on North Sunflower today at 5:15 in first round action. The winner of that game will tangle with District 3 winner Hebron Thursday also at 5:15.

    Sophomore Jim Tom Copeland paced the Wave with 16 points in their victory over Marvell. Taylor Herron and Geri Lamm scored 14 and 11 points each while Corbin Baker added six with Bateman Greenlee and Mattew Barefoot rounded out the scoring with four and two points.

    Lamm led the way with 13 points in the setback to Tunica. Herron followed with nine, Copeland added eight while Greenlee and Bryan Nickle each had five points. In Saturday’s loss to West Memphis, Copeland again led the way with 15 points while Lamm added 11 and Baker scored 10. Other scorers included: Greenlee with seven, Tres Brasell added six, Herron chipped in the three while Barefoot and Nickle each had a basket.