The road to the state playoffs starts for nine DeKalb County high school basketball teams tonight as they open region tournament action around the metro area.

Tucker High School is hosting the Region 4-5A Tournament beginning tonight, Wednesday (semis) and Friday (finals) with tonight’s winners moving into the semifinals with a Class 5A State Tournament berth in hand.

Play opens at 4:00 pm as the Lithonia Lady Bulldogs (5-17) and Martin Luther King Jr. Lady Lions (9-16) kick off the tournament. The Arabia Mountain Rams (14-11) and Lithonia Bulldogs (8-15) follow in the first boys’ game of the night at 5:30.

The 7:00 pm girls’ game features the Tucker Lady Tigers (4-17) against the Decatur Lady Bulldogs (6-12) and the night closes out with the 8:30 pm boys’ matchup between the Chamblee Bulldogs (8-14) and the Martin Luther King Jr. Lions (17-8).

The Region 5-2A Tournament starts tonight as the higher seeded girls host games with a state tournament slot on the line. The Towers Lady Titans (1-21) travel to Callaway (21-3) for a 5:00 pm game and the McNair Lady Mustangs (13-12) host Eagle’s Landing Christian (8-14). After all first-round games are completed on Tuesday the tournament moves to Eagle’s Landing Christian on Thursday (semis) and Friday (finals)

Other regional action tonight involves teams that must win two games to reach the state tournament. In Region 4-6A South Cobb hosts a pair of games taking on DeKalb’s Dunwoody Lady Wildcats (0-24) in a girls’ contest at 6:00 pm and the Lakeside Vikings (9-16) play South Cobb (8-14) at 7:30 pm in boys’ action. Play resumes on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (finals).

Holy Innocent’s is hosting the Region 6-4A Tournament with two games tonight involving all DeKalb teams that must get two wins to reach the state tournament. The Clarkston Lady Angoras (2-19) take on the Stone Mountain Lady Pirates (6-18) at 5:30 pm and is followed by the boys’ matchup including the Clarkston Angoras (4-20) and the Miller Grove Wolverines (3-20). Play resumes Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday (semis) and Saturday (finals) at Holy Innocents.

DCSD REGION SCHEDULE
Monday, Feb. 12
REGION 4-6A at South Cobb
(G) Dunwoody (0-24) vs. South Cobb (4:13), 6:00 pm
(B) Lakeside (9-16) vs. South Cobb (8-14), 7:30 pm

REGION 4-5A at Tucker
(Winners in 5A State Playoffs)
(G) Lithonia (5-17) vs. M.L. King (9-16), 4:00 pm
(B) Arabia Mountain (14-11) vs. Lithonia (8-15), 5:30 pm
(G) Tucker (4-17) vs. Decatur (6-12), 7:00 pm
(B) Chamblee (8-14) vs. M.L. King (17-8), 8:30 pm

REGION 6-4A at Holy Innocents
(G) Clarkston (2-19) vs. Stone Mountain (6-18), 5:30 pm
(B) Clarkston (4-20) vs. Miller Grove (3-20), 7:00 pm

REGION 5-2A AT TOP SEED
(Winners in 2A State Playoffs)
(G) Towers (1-21) at Callaway (21-3), 5:00 pm
(G) ELCA (8-14) at McNair (13-12), 6:00 pm