By By BRUCE HIXON Sports Editor
After a brief departure, the W.S. Neal Blue Eagles basketball team will return to the T.R. Miller Holiday Basketball Tournament next winter.
W.S. Neal briefly left the tournament last spring before it was reinstalled in the field.
Ironically the Blue Eagles are tentatively scheduled to replace Andalusia, which originally replaced W.S. Neal in the beginning.
That leaves Monroe County, which replaces Pace (Fla.), as the only new team in next year's tournament. Greenville, Mary Montgomery, Northview (Fla.), Flomaton, West Florida and the host Tigers round out the field.
"With us being right next door, the T.R. Miller Tournament is one we need to be in. It's a good tournament for us with some good competition," W.S. Neal coach David McCollum said.
The return to the T.R. Miller Tournament is not the only change on the W.S. Neal schedule since it was originally announced last spring.
The top changes are the addition of home and away dates with both UMS-Wright and Frisco City.
The Blue Eagles are now slated to start the season November 23 at Frisco City. The home opener is scheduled for November 29 against Northview (Fla.).
"There is still the possibility we may add one more school to the schedule before it's finalized," McCollum said.
All dates on the W.S. Neal schedule are boys/girls except for the boys participation in the T.R. Miller Holiday Tournament.
W.S. Neal Basketball
Nov. 23 Frisco City Away 5 p.m.
Nov. 29 Northview Home 5 p.m.
Nov. 30 Pleasant Home Away 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 Clarke County Home 5 p.m.
Dec. 6 Frisco City Home 5 p.m.
Dec. 9-11 Escambia County Tournament at Atmore
Dec. 13 J.U. Blacksher Home 5 p.m.
Dec. 17 UMS-Wright Away TBA
Dec. 27-29 T.R. Miller Tournament
Jan. 7 Clarke County Away 5 p.m.
Jan. 11 T.R. Miller Home 5 p.m.
Jan. 13 Andalusia Home 5 p.m.
Jan. 14 Straughn Home 5 p.m.
Jan. 21 T.R. Miller Away 5 p.m.
Jan. 25 Straughn Away 5 p.m.
Jan. 27 Andalusia Away 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 UMS-Wright Home TBA
Feb. 1 Pleasant Home Home 5 p.m.
Feb. 3 J.U. Blacksher Away 5 p.m.
Feb. 4 Northview Away 5 p.m.
* * * * * * * * *
Jefferson Davis Community College has also announced its men's basketball schedule for the 2004-05 season.
The Warhawks are scheduled to open up both the home and regular season campaign November 9 with a 7 p.m. contest against Pensacola Christian.
JDCC will play four of its first six games at home with dates against Pensacola Christian, Gadsden State on November 13 at 2 p.m., Keesler Air Force Base on December 2 at 7 p.m. and Bevill State-Jasper on December 7 at 7 p.m.
After that stretch, the Warhawks will not have another home game for 34 days when it entertains Chattahoochee Valley on January 10 at 7 p.m.
That game begins a stretch of six home games in eight dates.
JDCC's complete schedule is as follows.
JDCC Warhawks basketball
Nov. 9 Pensacola Christian Home 7 p.m.
Nov. 13 Gadsden State Home 2 p.m.
Nov. 20 Lawson State Away TBA
Nov. 23 Keesler AFB Away 7 p.m.
Dec. 2 Keesler AFB Home 7 p.m.
Dec. 7 Bevill State-Jasper Home 7 p.m.
Dec. 10-11 Border Bash Tournament at Americus (Ga.)
Dec. 14 Gadsden State Away 5 p.m.
Jan. 6 Bevill State-Fayette Away 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 8 Huntingdon Away TBA
Jan. 10 Chattahoochee Valley Home 7 p.m.
Jan. 12 Faulkner State Home 2 p.m.
Jan. 15 Northwest Shoals Home 4 p.m.
Jan. 18 Wallace-Selma Away TBA
Jan. 22 Southern Union Away 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 24 Enterprise Home 7 p.m.
Jan. 27 Huntingdon Home 7 p.m.
Jan. 29 L.B. Wallace Home 7 p.m.
Jan. 31 Bishop State Away 7 p.m.
Feb. 5 Chattahoochee Valley Away 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 7 Alabama Southern Home 7 p.m.
Feb. 10 Wallace-Selma Home 7 p.m.
Feb. 12 Faulkner State Away 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 17 Enterprise Away 7 p.m.
Feb. 19 Southern Union Home 7 p.m.
Feb. 24 Bishop State Home 7 p.m.
Feb. 26 L.B. Wallace Away 7 p.m.
Mar. 3 Alabama Southern Away 7 p.m.
The Brewton Youth Football League teams will kick off their season Saturday when they host a Jamboree at the T.R. Miller High School Field.
Twenty-three teams in three age groups will compete in the event. Games are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.
The Brewton Midgets will play their first game of their age group against Pace (Fla.) Red. They will later play the third game in that division against Milton (Fla.).
The Brewton Mini Mites will play Pace Blue in the first game of their respective age group. They will also play the last game of competition in that group against Pace Red.
The Brewton Mites square off against Pace Blue in their opener. They will take on Milton in the finale.