PIGEON FORGE — With Christmas vacation and New Year’s celebrations a thing of the recent past, the Seymour Lady Eagles basketball squad is looking to take its game to the next level in January of 2010.

But the first team standing in the Lady Eagles way this new year will be the tough homestanding Pigeon Forge Lady Tigers.

Seymour (10-4) will make the short trip to county rival Pigeon Forge (8-1) for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff tonight in what promises to be an entertaining battle between two promising ball clubs.

“We’ve played a very difficult schedule,” said Seymour coach Andy Rines. “We’ve played Powell, Farragut, Heritage, Halls, Morristown East and West and Cocke County.

“That’s a very difficult stretch, but to come out of it with a 10-4 record, we feel really good about that.”

Things aren’t getting any easier for the Lady Eagles early in 2010, however, with the first game of the new year against the Lady Tigers.

“We know Pigeon Forge is a very good team that’s had a very good season so far,” said Rines. “And of course it’s a rivalry, so it’s always going to be a hard-fought game.

“We know it’s going to be a very difficult test for us.”

But it’s a test the Lady Eagles are looking forward to as they try to improve their game while positioning themselves for a strong District 2-AAA finish heading into postseason tournaments, which start in February. Seymour has nine regular season district contests remaining on its schedule, including five of the next six contests after the Pigeon Forge matchup tonight.

“It’s such a long season, and it’s hard,” said Rines. “You don’t want to peak too early, but at the same time you always want to play well.

“There is still a lot of basketball in front of us, and Pigeon Forge is not only a good test, they’re a quality opponent that will help us get better.”

Boys JV action begins at 5 p.m. tonight at Pigeon Forge, with the girls to follow before the boys take center stage for an approximate 8 p.m. tip.