By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — Tournament season is rapidly approaching – or is already here – for winter sports, with the basketball tournaments getting underway beginning next week.
Boys’ basketball will come first, with every local team participating in district play. Here’s a look at how the district brackets will be shaking out for teams in the Commercial-News’ coverage area.
Division 1
Sturgis, the lone St. Joseph County team in Division 1, will host the District 10 tournament in Division 1 beginning Monday, Feb. 23.
The Trojans will be in the first round of districts to get their postseason started, taking on Battle Creek Lakeview. That game takes place Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at Sturgis, with the winner taking on Loy Norrix in the semifinals Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m.
Coldwater and Gull Lake will be in the other first round matchup on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at Coldwater High School, with the winner taking on Battle Creek Central in the other semifinal Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. The district finals will take place Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
The winner of District 10 will move on to play the winner of District 11, hosted by Lansing Waverly, at the Robert Quiring Gymnasium at Loy Norrix High School on Tuesday, March 3.
Division 2
Both Three Rivers and Vicksburg will be in District 48 in the Division 2 tournament, which kicks off Monday, Feb. 23 and will be hosted by the Bulldogs.
Three Rivers will kick off the tournament on Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. against Otsego in the lone first-round matchup, with the winner taking on Paw Paw in the first semifinal Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m. The other semifinal will pit host Vicksburg against Parchment at 7 p.m. The district finals will take place Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
The winner of District 48 will take on the winner of District 45, hosted by Wyoming Godwin Heights, in Region 12 action beginning with the semifinals Tuesday, March 3 at 7 p.m.
Division 3
White Pigeon, Constantine, Centreville and Bronson will make up four of the five teams competing in District 80 play in the MHSAA Division 3 tournament, which starts Monday, Feb. 23 and hosted by Centreville.
First-round action will take place Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. when White Pigeon plays Constantine, with the winner moving on to the first district semifinal against Bronson on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m. The other semifinal will pit host Centreville against Union City at 7 p.m. The finals will be Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
The winner of District 80 will take on the winner of District 77, hosted by Galesburg-Augusta, in the Region 20 semifinals Tuesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. at Bangor High School.
District 77 in Division 3 will also feature Schoolcraft, who will play the second of two first-round district games Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. against host Galesburg-Augusta. The winner of that matchup will face Comstock in the district semifinals at 7 p.m. Feb. 25. The other semifinal at 5:30 p.m. that day will feature Hackett Catholic Prep taking on the winner of Kalamazoo Christian-Kalamazoo Phoenix.
Division 4
Five local teams will be competing in District 115 in the MHSAA Division 4 tournament, starting Monday, Feb. 23 and hosted by Mendon High School.
Howardsville Christian will play in the first of two first-round games held on Mendon’s court on Feb. 23, as they take on Athens at 5:30 p.m. The second first-round game that night will pit Burr Oak against Marcellus at 7 p.m.
The winner of the Athens/Howardsville Christian game will move on to play Mendon in the first semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m., while the winner of the Burr Oak/Marcellus game will take on Colon in the second semifinal on Feb. 25, beginning at 7 p.m. The finals will take place Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
The winner of District 115 will play the winner of District 114, held at Three Oaks River Valley, in the Region 29 semifinals Tuesday, March 3 at 5:30 p.m. at Marcellus High School.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
