MCC Set To Host 2012 Rush Extravaganza Basketball Classic

From School Reports

Meridian Community College is preparing for an exciting weekend of high school and junior college basketball at Graham Gymnasium. The 2012 Rush Extravaganza Basketball Classic will begin this Saturday at Graham Gymnasium and will feature some of the best high school basketball programs from around the state of Mississippi.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to host an event of this magnitude on our campus,” said MCC athletic director and head women’s basketball coach Hilary Allen. “We are bringing some great teams into our gym for an exciting weekend of basketball that will feature some great games. We want to especially thank Rush Hospital for their support of this event and everyone that will be a part of these games too.”

The weekend will feature five teams from the local area and one team from outside the United States. The classic begins Saturday with a boy’s game featuring Laurel and Kemper Academy beginning at 1:30 p.m. The second game on Saturday will be highlighted by the boys’ team from C.I. Gibson High School. This will mark the second straight appearance for C.I. Gibson in the Rush Extravaganza Basketball Classic. C.I. Gibson is making the long trip to MCC to play West Lauderdale at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The final two games on Saturday will feature four teams that have been very successful in the high school basketball ranks in Mississippi. The Meridian High Lady Wildcats will renew its rivalry with Starkville on Saturday beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Lady Wildcats are currently 13-4 after an impressive road victory over Petal Tuesday night. The final game on Saturday will feature two teams that are currently ranked in the top five in the state of Mississippi. Hattiesburg and Forest Hill will take to the floor at 6 p.m. to conclude the first day of action at Rush Extravaganza Basketball Classic. Hattiesburg is currently ranked second in the state among 6A teams according to the latest Clarion Ledger Basketball Poll and Forest Hill is ranked fifth in the state entering the contest Saturday night.

The classic will take a break from high school basketball on Sunday as Meridian Community College will take to the floor with a doubleheader against Wallace-Hanceville. The Lady Eagles will play at 2 p.m. and the MCC men will take to the floor at 4 p.m. The MCC women are currently 6-8 entering the weekend and the MCC men are 4-9 overall for the season. MCC will play East Mississippi Community College on Thursday night before the Rush Extravaganza Basketball Classic begins with a doubleheader at Graham Gymnasium. The Lady Eagles will play EMCC at 6 p.m. and the men will follow at 8 p.m. The Lady Lions will enter with a 4-7 record and the EMCC men will enter the game with an 8-2 record.

The final day of the Rush Extravaganza Basketball Classic will be Monday and will feature three local teams. Neshoba Central (girls), Southeast Lauderdale (boys), and Meridian High (girls) will be in action on Monday at MCC. Neshoba Central will play New Hope beginning at 3 p.m. and Southeast Lauderdale will play New Hope in boy’s action beginning at 4:30 p.m. The final game of the classic will feature Meridian High and Provine at 6 p.m.