A trio of area state-ranked teams will start postseason play this week with district basketball tournament action.
The Blair Oaks Lady Falcons, ranked No. 2 in Class 3, are the top seed in the Class 3 District 9 Tournament in Ashland, while the Fatima Comets, No. 4 in Class 3, will take part in the Class 3 District 9 Tournament in Cuba. The Chamois Lady Pirates, No. 10 in Class 1, will be in Jamestown for the Class 1 District 9 Tournament.
The district tournament winners will advance to the sectional round of the state playoffs Wednesday, Feb. 27.
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THE LADY FALCONS wrapped up the regular season with a victory Thursday night against the California Lady Pintos.
If the seeds hold to form, those two figure to meet again later this week for the district crown.
Action in the eight-team event tips off today with top-seeded Blair Oaks facing No. 8 Southern Boone at 4:30 p.m. California, the No. 2 seed, will take on seventh-seeded Eugene at 7:30 p.m. today.
The semifinals are slated for Wednesday, with the title game scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday.
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BLAIR OAKS IS the No. 1 seed on the boys side in Ashland as well.
Boys games begin Tuesday, with Blair Oaks taking on eighth-seeded Centralia at 4:30 p.m. Host Southern Boone is seeded second and will meet Versailles at 7:30 p.m., while Eugene is No. 3 and will take on California at 9 p.m. in the eight-team event.
The semifinals will be played Thursday, with the title game set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
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THE FATIMA BOYS will wait until Thursday to start their postseason after receiving a first-round bye.
Fatima will face the Dixon-School of the Osage winner in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday. The title game is set for 7 p.m. Saturday.
On the girls side, Fatima is the No. 3 seed and will start the tournament at 8 p.m. today against sixth-seeded School of the Osage.
St. James is the No. 1 seed in the girls tournament, which will play its semifinals Wednesday night and its title game at 7 p.m. Friday.
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THE CHAMOIS GIRLS will face Missouri School for the Deaf at 4:30 p.m. today to start play in the tourney at Jamestown.
Other area teams in the tournament include third-seeded Jamestown and No. 7 Calvary Lutheran.
The semifinals are set for Wednesday night, with the title game scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday.
Boys first-round games will be played Tuesday. Chamois is the No. 3 seed, with Jamestown seeded fifth and Calvary Lutheran seeded seventh.
Semifinals in the boys tournament will be played Thursday, with the title game scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday.
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RUSSELLVILLE WILL HOST the Class 2 District 8 Tournament, which begins today with four girls games.
The host Lady Indians are the No. 1 seed and will face Smithton at 4 p.m. today. Three other games featuring area teams will follow, including those with No. 2 Linn, No. 3 Tipton and No. 5 New Bloomfield.
The girls semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday night, with the title game set for 6:30 p.m. Friday.
The boys portion of the tournament will start Tuesday. The host school is seeded fourth and will face Belle at 5:30 p.m. That will be followed by No. 2 Tipton facing No. 7 New Bloomfield at 7 p.m. and third-seeded Linn taking on No. 6 Stover at 8:30 p.m.
Cole Camp is the No. 1 seed in the boys tournament, which will play its semifinals Thursday night and its title game at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
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THE ST. ELIZABETH Hornets and Lady Hornets will be playing in the Class 1 District 6 Tournament at Bolivar.
Four boys games are slated for today, including fourth-seeded St. Elizabeth taking on fifth-seeded Hermitage at 5:30 p.m.
Macks Creek is the No. 1 seed in the boys tournament and will play Tuscumbia at 4 p.m.
The Lady Hornets are the No. 2 seed in the girls tournament that starts Tuesday.
St. Elizabeth will face Wheatland at 7 p.m., while fourth-seeded Tuscumbia will play Climax Springs at 5:30 p.m.
Weaubleau is the No. 1 seed in the girls tournament.