Andalusia’s Lady Bulldogs practiced Tuesday afternoon without a few starters due to illness and injury, but girls coach Bennie Shellhouse said that’s fine and that we’ll “practice as if they’re not going to play.”

“That’s all we can do,” Shellhouse said.

The Lady Bulldogs are preparing to face No. 4 seeded Headland this week in the Class 4A, Area 3 tournament.

Shellhouse said despite the fact that he may be without a few players, he feels confident about his team executing when needed.

“I feel pretty good about our chances on Thursday,” he said. “That’s why you play to get that No. 1 spot (seed).

“You only have to win that first one,” he said. “We’ll take it one game at a time and see what happens.”

Nearly eight miles north of AHS, Straughn’s girls are also getting ready for the first-round of the tournament.

The second-seeded Lady Tigers will face Ashford.

“It’s going to be a very tough ball game for us,” SHS coach Scott Kinsaul said on Tuesday. “Ashford is very quick and very well-coached. They’ve got a great player in the Rogers girls. I feel like if we play the way we’re supposed to, then we’ll come out and win.”

Kinsaul is talking about Ashford forward Crisshada Rogers, who likes to take the ball and drive the paint for easy buckets.

“We really need to keep her off the free-throw line a lot better than we did last time,” he said. “She’s one of those that you have to limit her touches and make sure she works for every point she gets.”

Kinsaul said the girls are excited about the ball game, and are anxious to get to the tip off at AHS against the Lady Yellow Jackets.

“They’re ready to play,” Kinsaul said. “They’re excited about the opportunity of what lies ahead of us. I explained to them that it’s the most important ball game of the year and that these next two days are the most important practices of the year.”

Tip off for Straughn will be at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at Andalusia. The Lady Bulldogs will have the night cap at 7 against the Lady Rams.