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By Sonny Jones

First place in the Southeastern Athletic Conference will be on the line tonight when the East Bladen boys basketball team hosts the St. Pauls Bulldogs.

The Eagles have shown they are best in the conference as the league season reaches its mid-point. East Bladen is 5-0 in the SAC and 13-2 overall, losing twice against Heide Trask in non-conference games.

East Bladen features a senior-laden squad led by outside shooters Malcolm Bolden and Jacob Nixon and strong play inside from center Jamar Lewis, who is good for a double-double. Seniors Yontee Dobson and Malaki Monroe provide valuable experience while sophomore point guard Dominick Collins has taken on a larger role of late.

The Eagles are set up to make a nice run in the state playoffs next month.

However, don’t let St. Pauls’ 8-9 overall record fool you. The Bulldogs are 4-1 in conference play and took on a challenging non-conference schedule. The combined record of the teams St. Pauls has lost in non-conference games is 95-21, which includes a non-conference loss to Red Springs (11-6) in the Robeson Shootout.

The Bulldogs split a pair of games against 3-A E.E. Smith (12-3), lost twice to 4-A Lumberton (14-2), and once each to Goldsboro (15-2), Wilmington Laney (15-2), which won the Bladen Offroad Tournament at West Bladen, Richmond Senior (14-2) and Cape Fear Academy (14-4).

Here’s how each team has fared against its five conference opponents:

• Midway: East Bladen won 49-43 on Dec. 16, St. Pauls won 64-62 in double overtime on Jan. 10.

• Clinton: East Bladen won 61-38 on Jan. 3, St. Pauls won 43-14 on Jan. 13.

• West Bladen: East Bladen won 52-44 on Jan. 6, St. Pauls won 66-50 on Jan. 17.

• Fairmont: East Bladen won 55-52 on Jan. 13, St. Pauls won 58-55 on Dec. 9.

• Red Springs: East Bladen won 66-50 on Jan. 17, St. Pauls lost 51-50 on Jan. 3.

Comparing scores certainly isn’t the best way to compare teams, but it can be interesting to read.

Of course, when the ball is tossed for the opening tip around 7:30 p.m. following the JV boys and varsity girls games, those scores will be meaningless. What matters will be the next 32 minutes of play.

It should be intense with a great crowd on hand and a lot of fun to watch. Buckle up.

Who’s ready?

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

• 1891 — The International YMCA in Springfield, Mass. is the site of the first official basketball game. Peach baskets were used, but it wasn’t until 1905 that someone removed the baskets’ bottoms.

POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY

• TENNIS: Australian Open (taped), 11 a.m., ESPN2

• LPGA: Tournament of Champions, noon, GOLF

• SOCCER: Bayern Munich at R.B. Leipzig, 2:25 p.m., ESPN2

• WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES: Women’s ice hockey, 2:30 p.m., ESPNU

• PGA: American Express, 3 p.m., GOLF

• WRESTLING: N.C. State at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m., ACCN

• NHL: Ottawa at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m., NHLN

• PGA CHAMPIONS: Mitsubishi Electric Championship, 7 p.m., GOLF

• NBA: Miami at Dallas, 7:45 p.m., ESPN

• TENNIS: Australian Open, 9 p.m., ESPN2

• NBA: Memphis at L.A. Lakers, 10:05 p.m., ESPN