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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It was a regular season of “what could have beens” for the LaGrange Grangers.

The Grangers (10-10 overall) finished with a 3-5 record in Region 2-AAAA, and three of those losses were in overtime.

Two of those overtime losses were to Columbus and Troup, and those are the two teams LaGrange will need to beat in the region basketball tournament to advance to the semifinals and earn a spot in the state playoffs.

LaGrange, the number seven seed, will face sixth-seeded Columbus on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Carver High.

If LaGrange wins that game, it would play third-seeded Troup on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Troup.

The winner of Thursday’s game will advance to Friday’s semifinals to play Hardaway, and the championship game and third-place game is Saturday.

The season will be over for the loser of Thursday’s game.

“Now, records don’t matter,” LaGrange head coach Mark Veal said following the regular-season finale against Hardaway. “You go play, and if you win you keep going, and if you lose, that’s it. Everybody’s in the same boat. You can be 0-8 in the region and win the region title. You don’t know what can happen.”

LaGrange opened its region schedule with a 55-53 road loss to Columbus in overtime.

LaGrange later lost to Troup 59-54 in overtime, and it fell to Carver 69-68 in double overtime.

LaGrange High’s girls’ team, meanwhile, is also the number seven seed after posting a 3-5 region record, and it will play sixth-seeded Spencer on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Kendrick.

If LaGrange beats Spencer, it would face second-seeded Carver on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Troup.

LaGrange needs to beat Spencer and Carver to advance to Friday’s semifinal game and qualify for the state tournament.

LaGrange and Spencer were supposed to play in the regular season, but Spencer was unable to play because of a COVID-19 issue.

LaGrange lost to Carver 78-23 last week.

Also on Wednesday, the Callaway Lady Cavaliers will play their first game in the Region 5-AA tournament.

Callaway, the number two seed, will play third-seeded Haralson County at 6 p.m., and the winner will face either Heard County or Temple in the region championship game on Friday at 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

2-AAAA TOURNAMENT

5:30 p.m. – LaGrange girls vs. Spencer at Kendrick

5:30 p.m. – LaGrange boys vs. Columbus at Kendrick

5-AA TOURNAMENT

6 p.m. – Callaway girls vs. Haralson County at Heard County