By Bobby Allen

SDN Sports Editor

Tonight’s the night.

The Snyder Lady Tigers, area champions and winners of 26 consecutive games, take on the number one-ranked team in the state when they match up with the defending state champion Canyon Lady Eagles.

Snyder, ranked seventh in the texashoops.com poll and 10th in the TABC poll, presents a stark contrast to a Canyon team that returned six players from last year’s state championship club. Canyon is ranked first in both polls.

Canyon also was the USA Today national champion in 2002-2003, and has won 10 state titles.

Snyder has not lost since Nov. 25 against Frenship, while Canyon fell to Mansfield Summit at a Christmas tournament.

Last Friday’s 69-47 victory over Perryton marked the first playoff victory in the history of girls basketball at Snyder High School.

Canyon advanced to the regional quarterfinal by destroying Denver City, 80-37.

Lady Tiger head coach Mike Martin said the team has had good work in practice and did not change any of its routine heading into tonight’s contest.

He said the biggest difference between Canyon and Perryton will be the pressure Canyon puts on its opponents.

“They contest every shot, every pass,” he said.

Canyon head coach Joe Lombard, who has guided the Lady Eagles to the postseason in each of his 19 years at the helm, said the Lady Tigers present a balanced attack.

“I think the most dangerous thing is they have a bunch of kids who can score, so you don’t key on one player,” he said. “I watched them against Perryton, and their shooting percentage was outstanding.”

The Lady Tigers shot almost 70 percent against Perryton, nailing 12 shots from behind the arc.

“They are going to try to take away those shots, and hopefully we can find a way to make them,” Martin said.

Lombard said his team is extremely confident.

“Having those returners from the year before, the kids expect to win when they step onto the court,” he said. “The kids understand that we have to play well to get through the playoffs, but they feel like they can do it again and repeat as state champions.”

Martin said the Lady Tigers are not at all nervous or apprehensive about the challenge awaiting them.

“They are just excited,” he said.

Freshman point guard Terann Ragland was unfazed about the prospect of playing the defending state champs.

“We’re going to approach it like any other game,” she said.

Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Hutcherson Center at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview.