Key early-round games at Lady Flyer Classic

The St. Joseph girls basketball tournament opens Thursday morning with Yoakum taking on Corpus Christi John Paul II. The tournament features 12 teams, 10 of which are from the Crossroads region.

GANADO VS. FAITH ACADEMY

2:30 P.M. THURSDAY

Faith Academy (13-10) hasn't allowed a point to an opponent in more than a week, and is coming off of a rousing shutout victory to open district over San Antonio Trinity, 70-0. Ganado (12-1) has only lost once this year, and has been getting strong contributions from Ashley Bridges all season long.

NIXON-SMILEY VS. CALHOUN

1 p.m. Thursday

Nixon-Smiley (14-3) enters the game as one of its district's best, but is coming off a big loss to Poth. Calhoun (14-7) is led in the low post by McKenna Villegas and Jordan Edison. The Sandies snapped a two-game district losing streak Friday at West.

ST. JOSEPH VS. WALLIS BRAZOS

10 a.m. Friday

St. Joseph, which gets contributions from all over the court and especially from sharpshooter Kensey Marshall, has made the final of all three tournaments it has played in this year. It made the final of the Industrial tournament, and won the Sunnybrook Tournament and the Faith Academy Cougar Classic.

CUERO VS. MOULTON

7 p.m. Thursday

Moulton, coming off a season last year where it made the Class 1A, Division II state tournament, is starting to gain steam. It will take on Cuero, which is a larger program but has struggled this year.

JOHN HORNBERG