Roundballs are bouncing again in Copperas Cove

Players in short pants, flying down the court, stopping on a dime and putting up a trey, or tossing a no-look pass to a teammate, who penetrates the paint and lays one in off the glass.  That’s basketball Copperas Cove style and it’s back at Bulldawg Gym!
Actually, the sneakers started squeaking Saturday with the Lady Dawgs posting a 42-36 win over visiting Leander.
Tonight, the girls travel to College Station, where they’ll face former district mate A&M Consolidated.  Those two had some classic battles in years past, but this one’s a chance to get better and help look ahead to league play.
Meanwhile, the playoff-veteran Bulldawg boys are wrapping up preparations for their season opener this Saturday against Cedar Ridge in an afternoon game to be played at Concordia University in Austin.
With all that being said, you know what I’ve been waiting for and pestering Lady Dawg head coach Eldridge McAdams about for weeks?  If you answered the Bush’s Chicken Tournament, it’s winner, winner, chicken dinner for you!
This event has been a premiere girls’ basketball showcase for years, drawing teams from across Texas and Coach Mac’s lineup won’t disappoint fans, with 10 teams accepting invitations.  Along with the host Lady Dawgs, Belton, Manor, former tourney champ La Vega, Austin Akins, Anderson, Del Valle, El Paso Bel Air, Ft. Bend Austin and San Antonio Stevens are all joining the party.  Each team is guaranteed four round-robin games Thursday and Friday, followed by Saturday seeded games in bracket play.  Cove fans need to be aware the Lady Dawgs play Akins at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, then wrap up day one at 7:30 p.m. against Ft. Bend Austin.
A tournament like this is good for the players, because they get a big dose of competition against teams that play different styles and it’s good for the fans, who’ve been waiting to cheer on their heroes.
See ya at the gym.  Go Dawgs!