NATCHEZ &045; It’s easy money to believe emotions will be running high tonight when Adams County Christian School head coach John Gray leads his Rebels into the arena that bears his name.

The Brookhaven Academy coaching legend, who led the Cougars to a Mississippi Private School Association title during the 1980-81 season, spent 26 years at the school before moving to Natchez.

While his focus certainly is on getting a win as the enemy with his Rebels (16-3), the moment must be bittersweet for Gray, who brought Brookhaven to the state playoffs every year.

&uot;It’d be the support of the patrons and the student body; having both sons coach for you,&uot; said Gray, sharing a sample of thoughts. &uot;I’ve been super blessed as a father. I have so much respect for what they stand for as men of God.&uot;

One son, Barry Gray, is the head coach of the Lady Cougars, which have won four of the last five Class AA state titles and are currently the top MPSA team this season at a perfect 30-0.

The other Ricky Gray led AC to its first appearance at a MPSA Overall Tournament in more than 20 years last season before taking the job at Enterprise.

&uot;I hope the kids can see the inside of a program that we want ours to be like,&uot; Gray said. &uot;I want them to see all the hard work it took to get there.&uot;

Gray believes this game is even more important with Tuesday’s 2-AAA finale with Central Private on the horizon.

A win over a Brookhaven team, which itself is a top 10 team and competes with the best of the best in private school, would be the necessary incentive heading into next week against the Rebels, who AC beat on a buzzer beater in Baker, La., earlier this month.

&uot;I’m looking forward to this game for us because I feel like we need it to get ready for Central Private,&uot; Gray said. &uot;Both (Brookhaven and Central Private) love to run and are real talented. We’re going to have to play extremely well to compete.&uot;

He complimented his Rebel bunch on the way they have played of late, most recently an 88-61 defeat of Huntington on Tuesday.

Glenn Williams, who was hit in the nose during Tuesday’s action, could possibly wear a mouthpiece tonight, while power forward Luke Ogden seems fully recovered from a nagging quadriceps injury, Gray said.

&uot;It’s a lot of anxiety going back where a gym is named after you,&uot; Gray said. &uot;I had a lot of success there and hired the coaches who are there now that built the girls and boys’ programs into such accomplished teams.&uot;

Amite County at Wilkinson County

There hadn’t been a hitch in the Wildcats’ giddy-up since Christmas, until Tuesday.

Before Tuesday Wilkinson County had been strolling along in Region 7-3A play, winning five straight and moving all the way into second place.

But then it ran into an unexpected Franklin County defense and Bulldog post Zach Thomas, who went off for 30 points in the 59-50 defeat of Wilkinson County.

&uot;We didn’t rebound the ball well enough to win, especially on the defensive end,&uot; Wildcats head coach Henry Storey said. &uot;You’re not going to be anybody like that. We couldn’t block Zack off the boards. I think he probably wishes he could schedule us 24 times a year.&uot;

Wilkinson County tries to get back on the winning track against bitter rival, and 7-3A leader, Amite County tonight in Woodville.

Storey said his club is still smarting from the first loss in Liberty on Dec. 12, 2003, and that’s a taste the Wildcats would like to scrape out of their mouths.

Wilkinson County took a two-point lead after it reeled off 11 unanswered before the Trojans reclaimed the lead and thus, the victory.

&uot;We have to be able to control the tempo and once we get a lead we have to hold on to it,&uot; Storey said. &uot;Amite County is probably the biggest surprise because they lost four starters from last year. (Coach Earnest) Ray has done a great job with them.&uot;

Storey learned the valuable lesson of not judging a book by its cover Tuesday when he prepared his team for the 2-3 zone Franklin County threw at the Wildcats on Dec. 9, 2003.

Instead the Bulldogs played a man-to-man, handcuffing Wilkinson County players Bryant Spiller and Gemall Andrews.

Storey said there is no need for any rousing speeches for tonight’s game.

&uot;First we look at it as our big rivalry game. Therefore there’s not much we have to say because of that and also helping us to get back on the winning track,&uot; he said. &uot;We’d like to go into the region tournament on a winning note. We haven’t done bad the second part of the year.&uot;

Franklin County at Hazlehurst

Zach Thomas’ play Tuesday taught him that pouring his energy into 32 minutes of basketball can mean big things for him and his teammates, Bulldog head coach Chris Jordan said.

&uot;It made him realize he’s a marked man,&uot; he said of Thomas. &uot;If you can keep him off the glass and defend him, you’ve got a chance to beat us. He got 30 by moving toward the glass.&uot;

A win tonight at Hazlehurst and an Amite County loss would draw the Bulldogs even with the Trojans in Region 7-3A play.

However, despite the Indians’ 1-6 region record, Jordan said looks are deceiving.

&uot;When you consider (Hazlehurst) has beat(en) us the last three times they’ve played us, it’s huge for us. It’s always close,&uot; he added. &uot;With our division, nothing means a lot unless maybe you’re No. 1.

&uot;(Hazlehurst is) well-coached and never play down because they’ve got such a difficult schedule. Their record doesn’t mean a whole lot.&uot;

The matchup between Franklin County and Hazlehurst’s girls is just as important, as the Lady Bulldogs can inch closer to the region-leading Lady Indians with a victory.

&uot;It’s just the next opponent,&uot; Franklin County head coach Charles Moore said. &uot;There are no bigger games than others. We’re taking it one at a time. Hazlehurst is well-coached with a lot of tradition. It’ll be a challenge.

&uot;Our success will depend on whether or not we can get busy in the transition game. Those easy buckets early are helpful in getting a comfortable lead. We can’t afford to make many mistakes. We have to have good mental decisions.&uot;