The high school basketball season gets quite serious next week as district play begins for the Class 4 and 5 teams in Missouri. Here is a preview of next week’s district tournaments involving St. Louis-area teams.
Class 5
District 2 (at Eureka)
Schools: Eureka, Lafayette, Northwest, Summit, Washington
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Lafayette drew the top seed and the Lancers are a solid favorite to advance to the sectional round and a probable rematch with defending state champion Poplar Bluff.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m.
Outlook: Rockwood rivals Lafayette and Eureka are slated for the finals.
District 3 (at Webster Groves)
Schools: Chaminade, Kirkwood, SLUH, Nerinx Hall, St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s, Webster Groves
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.
Outlook: The host Statesmen look good here, but they must watch out for rival Kirkwood, who took Webster to the last seconds a few weeks back. Webster Groves has not lost to a team from the area this season.
Girls’ Championship Game: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2 p.m.
Outlook: Defending state champion St. Joseph’s will try to move on without standout point guard Kelsey Luna, who is out with a knee injury. Nerinx Hall will try to pull the upset.
District 4 (at Seckman)
Schools: Cor Jesu, Fox, Lindbergh, Mehlville, Oakville, Seckman, Vianney
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Oakville got the No. 1 seed with its excellent front line of Drew Martin and Casey Noll, but Vianney and Lindbergh are capable of upending the Tigers.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m.
Outlook: Cor Jesu drew the top seed in this competitive field that also includes Mehlville, Lindbergh and Oakville.
District 5 (at Gateway Tech)
Schools: Beaumont, Gateway Tech, Normandy, Roosevelt, Vashon
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m.
Outlook: Vashon will enter the postseason as the No. 1 team in the country. They are the prohibitive favorite to take home its first Class 5 district title.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m.
Outlook: Vashon is the top seed and the Wolverines figure to face either Normandy or Gateway Tech in the finals.
District 6 (at Parkway West)
Schools: CBC, Francis Howell Central, Francis Howell North, Marquette, Parkway South, Parkway West
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Howell Central is the top seed after enjoying an excellent season. The Mustangs must watch out for No. 2 CBC, who has already defeated Howell Central this year and No. 3 Marquette, who played Howell Central to a two-point game. Host Parkway West is also playing well as of late.
Girls’ Championship Game: Saturday, Feb. 26, 1 p.m.
Outlook: Marquette is the top seed in this wide-open district.
District 7 (at Hazelwood Central)
Schools: Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood East, Hazelwood West, McCluer, McCluer North, Riverview Gardens
Championship Game: Saturday, Feb. 26, noon
Outlook: As usual, the Suburban North district is as wide-open as ever. McCluer North is the top seed, but anyone can win this district.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 5 p.m.
Outlook: McCluer has the No. 1 seed, but Hazelwood West, Hazelwood Central, McCluer North are also capable of winning the title.
District 8 (at DeSmet)
Schools: DeSmet, Incarnate Word, Parkway Central, Parkway North, Pattonville, Ritenour
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7:15 p.m.
Outlook: DeSmet is struggling this year, but they are still the top seed and the favorite to move on.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m.
Outlook: Incarnate Word is the prohibitive favorite in their quest for the second consecutive Final Four appearance.
District 9 (at Fort Zumwalt South)
Schools: Francis Howell, Fort Zumwalt North, Fort Zumwalt South, Fort Zumwalt West, Holt, Troy
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Troy has the top seed with a fine young nucleus of talent, but the host Bulldogs are lying in the weeds ready to repeat as district champions.
Girls’ Championship Game: Thursday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Francis Howell and Troy are the top two seeds in the district full of Gateway Athletic Conference teams.
Class 4
District 3 (at Lutheran South)
Schools: Affton, DuBourg, Kennedy, Lutheran South, Windsor
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m.
District 4 (at Owensville)
Schools: Owensville, Pacific, Salem, St. Clair, St. James, Sullivan
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m.
District 5 (at Jennings)
Schools: Cleveland, Jennings, Soldan, Sumner, University City
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 5 p.m.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Jennings has the top seed in both the boys and girls tournaments. The girls could get an interesting test from University City.
District 6 (at Westminster)
Schools: Clayton, Ladue, MICDS, Priory, Westminster
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m.
District 7 (at St. Charles West)
Schools: Duchense, St. Charles, St. Charles West, St. Dominic, Trinity
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m.
District 8 (at Borgia)
Schools: Hannibal, Borgia, Timberland, Union, Warrenton
Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m.
Girls’ Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m.
