Have I ever told you this is my favorite part of basketball season?

Earlier this week, regional tournaments all over the state began.

Sub-regional winners flocked to each location in the hopes that they can win the next two games to earn at ticket to play at the state tournament in Birmingham.

Two local girls teams — Straughn and Opp — both in Class 3A and area foes, will take to the hardwood today to start their South Regional Tournament action at the Dothan Civic Center in — you guessed it — Dothan.

Throughout this season, especially in area play for Class 3A, Area 2, SHS and OHS have battled for the top spot.

Both met for the first time at Red Level’s Girls Christmas Tournament, and then again in area action, where SHS led the series 4-0, including the area title game.

With wins over their sub-regional opponents, Straughn and Opp are in the same bracket at the regional tournament and could meet up again in the regional finals.

The Lady Tigers (30-2) will play Abbeville at 3 p.m., while the Lady Bobcats (20-4) will face Daleville at 6 p.m. today in the later game.

When I interviewed each coach this week to get ready for my usual preview madness I like to write before big tournaments and games, each coach gave different answers to the question about a possible regional final meet up.

“I would love to meet up with Straughn again,” OHS coach SaRhonda Dickerson said. “I wish Abbeville and Straughn the best, but I’m pulling for Straughn to win.”

SHS coach Scott Kinsaul said something different.

“That’s a possibility (on the matchup),” he said. “If that happens, great. I don’t care who we play, as long as we’re playing somebody on Saturday.”

Opp’s losses this season have come at the hands of the Lady Tigers and with each passing game, the score gets closer and closer.

Each game gets better and better.

If Straughn and Opp do meet up in the south regional finals, it’ll be an epic battle in girls basketball action.

The winner will advance to play in the Final Four at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, while the fallen will pack it in.

What will be the end result?

Who will advance?

Who will fall?

Come and join me and we’ll find out together.