Stephanie Murphy traveled to Ackerman on Saturday to scout New Site in its Mid-Mississippi Challenge game against another 2A power, Scott Central.

Tupelo’s coach came away impressed with the unbeaten Lady Royals, who defeated their South state foe, 57-55, on a last-second basketball by guard Krystal Jackson.

“They’re undefeated for a reason,” Murphy said. “They shoot lights out. It’s going to be a tough matchup for us. They’re very good.”

Murphy’s Lady Wave plays New Site at 7:15 p.m. Saturday in the 13th annual Robertson’s Sportswear/Renasant Bank Cancer Relay For Life Lady Challenge at Ingomar High School gym.

New Site’s looking forward to the challenge playing the defensive-minded Lady Wave presents.

“It’s a chance to play a bigger school and the challenge of playing a 6A school,” Lady Royals coach Byron Sparks said. “Playing them will make us better and get us ready for our ultimate goal ... to get back to the state tournament. Any game that will make us better, we’re all for.”

Jackson, a 5-foot-10 junior guard who is averaging 17.2 points per game, is being recruited by Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss of the SEC, along with Southern Miss, South Alabama and Delta State.

The New Site-Tupelo game is one of eight intriguing games scheduled by tournament chairman Darrell Robertson.

“You want to match a good small school against a good big school,” he said of his decision to match New Site and THS. “Scott Central was a good test for New Site and Tupelo will be, too.”

Tough matchups

Robertson paired Belmont against Briarcrest (Tenn.) Christian at 4:45 and defending 1A state champion H.W. Byers against Lausanne (Tenn.) School, which features Tennessee signee Lauren Avant, a 5-9 point guard, at 6.

Belmont, a 3A school which has lost only to New Site this season, faces a Lausanne team with three college signees. Along with Avant, the team’s lineup features guard Breana Williams, a Houston signee, and 5-10 forward Erin Riley, a Northwood (Fla.) University signee.

The day of basketball tips off at 10 a.m. with East Union playing Alcorn Central, followed by North Pontotoc against West Union at 11:15. The 12:30 p.m. game pits Ingomar against another Tennessee club, St. George.

At 2, Houston and Ripley meet in a rematch of last season’s 4A North tournament game while at 3:15, two of the area’s top younger teams, Pontotoc and Kossuth, clash.