When the Parkway basketball tournament tips off this week, Panthers coach Mike Guess will be without a few players due to the football team’s championship run.

Eight varsity basketball players will be in New Orleans this weekend seeking Parkway’s inaugural state title in 5A football. The missing basketball players include 2012-13 All-Stater Brodrick Jefferson, 6-foot-5 Artayvious Lynn and 6-4 Keondre Wudtee.

“Our football players will join us after their season is completed, but we are extremely happy they’re in the Superdome,” Parkway coach Mike Guess said. “We hope they join the basketball team with a championship ring.”

The tournament went dormant for several years before Guess elected to bring it back this season.

“We’re happy with the field we were able to put together and we hope it will grow from here,” Guess said.

The lineup: The Parkway event will feature a pair of out-of-area teams in Texas High of Texarkana and Northshore from New Orleans. Also in the 8-team affair are Northwood, Plain Dealing, Airline, Southwood and Fair Park.

Wednesday’s games include Plain Dealing-Airline at 4:30 p.m., Southwood-Fair Park at 6 p.m., Parkway-Northwood at 7:30 p.m. Texas High against Northshore will open Thursday’s action of four games.

at 3:30 p.m., the Parkway-Northwood loser against the Plain Dealing-Airline loser at 5 p.m., the Parkway-Northwood winner versus Plain Dealing-Airline winner at 6:30 p.m. and the Southwood-Fair Park winner against the Texas High-Northshore winner at 8 p.m.

The championship game is slated for 8 p.m. Friday, although four games are set for the day beginning at 3:30 p.m.

“People who come will be able to see some local teams, plus some teams they wouldn’t normally see,” Guess said.

Girls

Mary Ward has put together a solid lineup of teams for the Benton Lady Tigers Tournament which features seven teams competing in a round-robin format today through Frida. Lowery said the teams will advance to championship and consolation bracket play on Saturday.

Benton will play Red River at 6 p.m. Wednesday followed by a 7:30 game between Northwood and Parkway. Thursday matchups highlight Northwood-Airline (4:30 p.m.), Parkway-North Caddo (6) and Southwood-Red River (7:30).

Pool play concludes Friday with Airline-North Caddo at 6 p.m. and Benton-Southwood at 7:30.

A succession of games will begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and the championship game is slated for 7:30 p.m., preceded by the consolation finals at 6.