While it may not get the kind of recognition that other sports do around the county, make no mistake – basketball is alive and well in Pike County.

Whether it is the fun had on the Miracle League courts, the learning in the recreation games or the preparation of winning a title in the high school ranks, there was success shared on each level of the court in 2010.

And some of that success reached heights never seen before.

The New Year got off to a historic start thanks to the play of the Pike Liberal Arts girls’ varsity team.

After the Patriots took out Glenwood in February, PLAS returned home with the first ever basketball state championship in both the school and the county’s history.

Even though PLAS shot just 25 percent during the title game, it was better than the Gators, who shot just 11 percent.

The 27-24 victory was not the prettiest of victories for the girls on the season, but by far the most memorable one.

Off of that team, Rebecca Farrar and Eady Pinkard were selected to the AISA All-Star Basketball Classic.

While the PLAS boys’ team did not endure the same kind of success as the girls’ squad, it still advanced to the AISA Elite Eight.

A big reason for that success was thanks to senior Justin McLaughlin.

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound center became one of just a few Patriot players ever who scored 1,000 points or more in his career.

Another team that had some postseason success was the girls’ team out of Goshen High School.

The Eagles won their region thanks to a strong regular season play and finishing 5-1 at the Eagle’s Nest.

In the new season, Goshen again has jumped out to a strong start, as the team is currently sitting at a 9-1 record.

Even though the Charles Henderson Trojans boys’ team did not taste the postseason, it still had its share of big victories over some of the top teams.

Against ranked teams such as Barbour County, Greenville and Enterprise, the Trojan came out victorious.

This season, despite beginning the season 0-9, the Trojans got its first taste of success, thanks to a win over Tallassee back on Dec. 21.