By the time you read this, the Natchez High Bulldogs will be preparing to take the floor at Bud Walton Arena, home of the Arkansas Razorbacks, in Fayetteville, Ark.

Mike Martin and his troops are continuing their yearly tradition of competing in strong holiday basketball tournaments with this year’s 2001 Holiday Hoops Classic.

Currently, the Bulldogs are ranked 10th in a statewide media poll, and are sitting at a 13-2 mark, by virtue of Tuesday night’s 30-point drubbing of Division 4-5A foe Vicksburg.

The Bulldogs departed Natchez early Wednesday morning for the eight-hour trek to Razorback country.

Once there, they participated in a late afternoon shoot-around.

The format for this tournament resembles collegiate play, with two 16-minute halves and a 45-second shot clock.

The tournament is sponsored by Tyson Foods and Packaging Specialties.

Natchez has a tough first round opponent in Springdale, Ark. today at 5 p.m.

And provided they win that tough tilt, the road in this eight-team bracket doesn’t get any easier.

Natchez would then go head-to-head with the Rogers-Ozen winner Friday at 6:30 p.m.

That could very likely be Ozen out of Beaumont, Texas.

They currently sit at 10-0 after plowing through a tournament in their hometown. They went 36-0 last season.

Ozen’s junior center Kendrick Perkins is averaging 26 points, 9 rebounds and 8 blocks per game.

Martin, in his 13th season with NHS, recently notched his 300th career win at the school and is rapidly approaching total career win number 450.

But Martin wasn’t the least bit concerned with his personal record when reached at the team hotel Tuesday night.

&uot;The stat I view as most important is how many of these kids we are able to put into college because that’s what we are here for,&uot; he said. &uot;The competition here at this tournament is going to be great for our team.&uot; Center Vasshun Newborne, who leads the Bulldogs in scoring said it was important for the team to not lose their focus in a such a charged atmosphere.

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Natchez vs. Springdale, Ark. Today at 5 p.m. The Bulldog lineup (13-2) 12 Chris Logan 5-11 145 G Sr. 15 Michael Williams 5-11 175 G Soph. 20 Ronald Calcote 5-11 155 G Jr. 21 Burton Broudy 6-3 175 G Sr. 24 DaMorris Merrick 6-1 175 F Soph. 25 Je’Kel Foster 6-2 200 G Sr. 32 Dantrell Minor 6-0 150 G Soph. 34 Derrick Martin 6-1 190 F Jr. 42 Derek Jarvis 6-6 260 C Sr. 44 Brian Williams 6-1 185 G Jr. 50 Anthony Strauder 6-3 250 C Soph. 55 Vasshun Newborne 6-5 215 F Sr.

Springdale, Ark. Bulldogs 3 Nick Emerson 5-10 171 Jr. 4 Sean Price 6-5 173 Sr. 5 Heath Nelson 6-1 162 Jr. 10 Tim Anderson 5-8 137 Sr. 12 Joel Garcia 5-8 148 Sr. 15 Erik Govea 5-7 140 Jr. 23 JuShawn Cooper 5-10 169 Sr. 30 Shawn Bailey 6-4 178 Jr. 31 Brandon Carroll 6-2 182 Sr. 40 Brandon Reynolds 6-4 191 Sr. 52 Jeremy Tarvin 6-9 190 Jr. 53 Jeff Schanze 6-4 198 Sr.