Wylie Invitational tourney begins today

By TED DUNNAM / Assistant Sports Editor

Resurgent Sweetwater, state tournament qualifier Haskell and defending champion Whitehouse highlight the boys teams entered in the Wylie Lions Club's Invitational basketball tournament that begins today at the Wylie gym.

The host Bulldogs, 6-5, will play the last of four first-round games today, taking on Aspermont at 8 p.m.

Other first-round games today will pit Sweetwater against Goldthwaite, Ballinger against Hawley and Whitehouse against Haskell.

The girls portion of the tournament also begins today and features five teams competing in a round-robin format.

The Wylie girls will play two games today, a 12:30 p.m. matchup against Goldthwaite and a 6:30 p.m. contest against Aspermont. Other teams in the field include Haskell and Hawley.

Wylie boys head coach Kirby Chandler believes the tournament will help prepare his team for upcoming District 6-3A battles.

"It's a good, strong field," Chandler said. "Sweetwater's got all of their players from football and they're ranked in the top 10 in the state. Whitehouse is the defending champion, and you've also got Haskell which made the state tournament last year."

Sweetwater should be the tournament favorite while Whitehouse and Haskell will tangle in what promises to be the most intriguing first-round game.

"This is the kind of competition we need to get us prepared for the district race," Chandler said.

Saturday's championship game in the boys' division will be played at 8 p.m. The team with the best record in the girls' division will determine the champion of that round-robin format.

TODAY'S SCHEDULE

Boys

11 a.m. - Sweetwater vs. Goldthwaite

2 p.m. - Ballinger vs. Hawley

5 p.m. - Whitehouse vs. Haskell

8 p.m. - Aspermont vs. Wylie

Girls

12:30 p.m. - Wylie vs. Goldthwaite

3:30 p.m. - Haskell vs. Hawley

6:30 p.m. - Aspermont vs. Wylie