The Louisiana High School Athletic Association executive committee has removed the Amite football team from the Class 3A playoffs as a result of a benches clearing fight that erupted in a quarterfinal victory over Bogalusa. LHSAA sportsmanship rules say that players who leave the bench area during a fight are automatically suspended for the next game. Tangipahoa School system attorney Chris Moody says they believe the punishment doesn’t fit what happened towards the end of the game…
cut 14 (11) “…next game”
If the LHSAA’s ruling stands, St. James advances to the Three-A title game where they’ll play the winner of Friday night’s semifinal contest between West Felciana and Lutcher.

ESPN’s Brett McMurphy reports the Taxslayer Bowl is considering either LSU or Georgia as the SEC representative in their bowl. And McMurphy also reports from Georgia coach Mark Richt is heading to his alma mater Miami to be the head coach of the Hurricanes.

Grambling State quarterback Johnathan Williams has been named the SWAC offensive player of the year, while Grambling’s Broderick Fobbs has been named coach of the year. Grambling faces Alcorn State on Saturday for the SWAC title.

The LSU men’s basketball team will look to snap a three-game losing streak tonight when they host North Florida. The Tigers are coming off a 70-58 loss to College of Charleston. In that game, LSU shot 31-percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers.

The Pelicans are at Houston tonight. Both teams have been a disappointment in the Western Conference. The Rockets already have fired their head coach, Kevin McHale. Houston is 3-4 under interim head coach JB Bickerstaff. James Harden is averaging close to 30 points a game for the Rockets.