By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

They’re hoping this is the night.

The LaGrange Grangers have been right there with a chance to win both of their games this season, but they’ve come up just short.

After falling to Newnan 61-60 in the season opener last week, LaGrange lost to Northside 66-61 in its first home game on Tuesday.

LaGrange will look for a breakthrough win tonight when it faces Northside again, this time in Columbus.

It’s a new-look squad, with most of the players who were a part of last season’s team that made it to the state quarterfinals having graduated.

“We’re still trying to find out some things, and each game we’ll keep building and getting better, and hopefully we’ll be ready by the time region play begins,” said LaGrange head coach Mark Veal.

LaGrange’s two most experienced players, Bo Russell and Daz Williams, scored 17 and 14 points, respectively, in the first game against Northside.

Also tonight, the Lady Grangers (1-2) will try to put together their first winning streak of the season.

LaGrange scored 25 first-quarter points on Tuesday on the way to a 57-31 victory over Northside.

It was LaGrange’s first game with senior guards Chnaireia Strozier and Aryan Dozier on the court together.

Strozier didn’t play in LaGrange’s first two games.

Dozier led LaGrange with 20 points against Northside, and Strozier scored 15 points.

“I told them from the get-go, this would be our first game with the full team,” LaGrange head coach Stephen Tuck said. “So this is the team everybody expects to see.”

Troup’s boys’ team will be on its home court today against Kendrick as it looks to even its record at 2-2.

Troup, after dropping its first two games, outlasted Newnan 71-65 on Tuesday behind senior guard Jarrious Jefferson’s 37 points.

Blake Craft, Troup’s first-year head coach, hopes the win was the start of some big things.

“Afterwards, I asked them if they had fun, and they said coach we like to win,” Troup head coach Blake Craft said. “It can be contagious.” I know Troup’s a football school, but our goal is to get them believing in basketball, and get that rolling.”

The Troup Lady Tigers fell to 1-2 with a 56-50 loss to Newnan, and they’ll attempt to get back to .500 with a win over Kendrick.

Also today, the LaGrange Academy and Lafayette Christian School teams will be in action.

LaGrange Academy will be at home against Solid Rock, while Lafayette Christian will visit Calvary Christian.

Callaway’s teams will get the season under way next week.

Callaway’s girls’ team opens on Monday with a game at Whitewater before visiting Troup on Dec. 8.