Two teams head to their respective tournaments this week with two very different histories and one distinct goal – win a state title.

One team, the Southside High School Panthers, come into their Class 4A, Area 6 tournament on Friday as the four-time defending area champions. The Panthers wrapped up the area title nearly two weeks ago.

The Panthers will face St. James Friday night at home beginning at 7:30.

Meanwhile, the Central Christian School Warriors head to Montgomery, where they will compete in the West Area III Regionals at Huntingdon College. The Warriors will battle Lakeside School beginning at 1:30.

Southside coach Velton Robinson said he and his players are aware that despite being area champs the past four years, the Panthers have not won an area tournament title since 2001. Still, he said, there is no pressure to win.

“I never feel like I have pressure on me,” Robinson said. “The area championship is for the players. It’s not for me to get any glory.

“I don’t think the players are under any pressure, either,” Robinson added. “They know they have the ability to be champs, whether it be area, regional or state.”

The Southside coach also said that for his team to move on as area champs, the Panthers need only continue what they have done all season en route to a 25-2 record.

“We don’t have a superstar on the team,” he said. “We’ve got a whole lot of unselfish guys on this team. That gives us the confidence we need to win the area tournament.”

While the Panthers are loaded with tournament and champion experience, the CCA Warriors are in uncharted territory. Central Christian Academy earned its first area title in school history last week.

CCA coach Carl Rawls had his team practicing at the Selma College gymnasium in preparations for playing on a college court. Rawls said he has taken a light-hearted approach to preparing his team this week.

“I view this as a wonderful opportunity for the kids,” he said. “If we win three games, we win the state title.

“There’s no pressure at all on us,” Rawls added. “We’re just going to have fun. Basketball is entertainment. It’s not the end of the world. If we go out and do what we know we can do, I think we’re going to come out winners.”

Some of Rawls’ antics to keeping his players loose this week include competitive games such as best free-throw shooting, in which the winner or winners will not bu subjected to “suicides,” or running drills where each player progresses down the court, reaching anothr point on the court before scampering back to the baseline.

“Even when we practice hard,” Rawls said, “we still have fun. I’m hoping we’ll be in better shape for the tournament because of it.”

The state’s AHSAA schools will begin their area tournaments today, while AISA teams are in their state tourneys.

Morgan Academy, Marion Military Institute and Meadowview Christian boys and girls also will compete in regional tournaments with a berth in the state’s Final Four on the line.

Meadowview Christian and MMI will compete today, while Morgan Academy will be in action Saturday.

Their tournament will be held at Faulkner University in Montgomery.