The Visitation Christmas Tournament is annually the best holiday tournament in the state of Missouri.
The 16-team tournament features the Who’s Who of top girls basketball programs in the St. Louis metro area. The action will begin on Saturday with eight first round-games at Visitation Academy in West County. The tournament will continue on Friday, December 26 and will continue through Sunday, December 28 with the championship game scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.
National powerhouse Incarnate Word Academy received the No. 1 seed in the tournament. The Red Knights have had a stranglehold on the championship trophy for several years. Incarnate Word defeated Lift for Life in the championship game last year. IWA went on to win the Class 6 state championship while Lift for Life went on to win the Class 5 state title.
Incarnate Word is followed in the seedings by No. 2 Principia, No. 3 Belleville East, No. 4 Cardinal Ritter, No. 5 Lift for Life, No. 6 Cor Jesu, No. 7 Troy and No. 8 St. Joseph’s Academy.
The tournament will also feature several of the area’s top players. Among the top seniors who have signed with Division I programs are Neveah Lucious of Incarnate Word (Missouri State), Moriyah Douglass of John Burroughs (Texas Tech), Evelyn Shane of Ursuline (Saint Louis U.), Peyton Olufson of Incarnate Word (Saint Louis U.), Savannah Stricker of Incarnate Word (Lindenwood), Ava Albanese of Incarnate Word (UC-Santa Barbara), Addi Owen of Incarnate Word (SEMO) and Zha Harris of Lift for Life (Missouri State).
Among the top underclassmen in the tournament are junior Dasia Scott of Principia, junior Nyla Scales of Cardinal Ritter, sophomore Bridget Fitzgerald of Incarnate Word, sophomore Hailey Gray of Belleville East, junior Grace Means of Troy, junior Cara Manuel of Lift for Life, sophomore Trinity Jackson of Cardinal Ritter, freshman Daylin Douglas of John Burroughs, sophomore Loganne Love of Principia and sophomore Denaya Bartelheim of Belleville East.
Here is a look at the schedule for the Visitation Tournament.
Saturday, December 20 (First Round Games)
4 Cardinal Ritter vs. 13 Edwardsville, 10 a.m.
5 Lift for Life vs 12 Highland, 11:30 a.m.
1 Incarnate Word vs. 16 Visitation, 1 p.m.
8 St. Joe’s vs. 9 John Burroughs, 2:30 p.m.
3 Belleville East vs. 15 Parkway West, 4 p.m.
6 Cor Jesu vs. 11 Eureka, 5:30 p.m.
7 Troy vs. 10 Ursuline, 7 p.m.
2 Principia vs. 15 Nerinx Hall, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, December 26 (Quarterfinals)
Cardinal Ritter-Edwardsville winner vs. Lift for Life-Highland winner, 3:30 p.m.
IWA-Visitation winner vs. St. Joe’s-John Burroughs winner, 5 p.m.
Belleville East-Parkway West winner vs. Cor Jesu-Eureka winner, 6:30 p.m.
Principia-Nerinx Hall winner vs. Troy-Ursuline winner, 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 27
Semifinals, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 28
Seventh Place, 1:30 p.m.
Fifth Place, 3 p.m.
Third Place, 4:30 p.m.
Championship, 7 p.m.