Sports briefs
Hoops tournament
The high school basketball season in Columbia County starts today, as squads from Harlem and Greenbrier compete in the Harlem Tip-off Tournament.
Last year, the event featured only girls teams, with the Lady Wolfpack taking home the trophy. This year the Wolfpack and Bulldogs enter the fray in a four-team boys bracket.
Today at Harlem, the Lady Bulldogs face Aquinas at 5 p.m., and the Dogs take on the Irish at 6:30 p.m. At Greenbrier, the Lady Wolfpack plays Glascock County at 5 p.m., and the Pack battles the Glascock boys at 6:30 p.m.
The tournament concludes Saturday at Harlem. The loser's bracket games are at noon (girls) and 1:30 (boys), with the championship contests set for 3 p.m. (girls) and 4:30 p.m. (boys).
The Harlem boys will be at a disadvantage this week because seven members of the squad still are playing for the Harlem football team, which ends its season Saturday at Laney.
Two coaches will be making their court debuts in the tournament - Paul Greenway takes over as head coach of the Lady Wolfpack, and Melissa Chase will lead the Lady Dogs. Former Lady Pack coach Garrett Black has inherited the Greenbrier boys from his father, Danny Black, who retired after last season.
Daniel named all-conference
Following a superb soccer season at Georgia State University in Atlanta, former Greenbrier High School athlete Brooks Daniel has been named to the Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshmen Team.
Daniel, a forward for Georgia State, scored 10 goals and added two assists for a team-leading 22 points during the 2002 season.
"We're excited for her," Georgia State coach Domenic Martelli said. "She's had a good freshman season and is most deserving."
Top baseball prospects
Two Columbia County high school baseball players have been tabbed as top professional prospects by Prospects Plus, a national scouting report that is a joint venture of Baseball America and Perfect Game USA.
Jordan Belcher, a senior at Augusta Christian Schools, was ranked No. 13 in Georgia. The 6-2, 180-pound right-hander is a pitcher and outfielder for the Lions. He also cracked the top 300 prospects among all high school seniors, ranking No. 294 nationally.
Scott Wandless, a junior at Greenbrier High School, was No. 49 in the state. The 6-0, 185-pound lefty is an outfielder for the Wolfpack.