Local basketball teams prep for district, sectional action this week

It's officially win-or-go-home time for everyone on the basketball court. Bigger schools wrapped up their regular season last week and open the district postseason tonight, while smaller schools -- those that are still standing -- have sectional action this week.

In Class 5 District 1, Jackson girls and boys both have first-round byes and will step on the floor in their respective semifinals Tuesday. For the boys, the second-seeded Indians (14-12) will face No. 2 Seckman (8-16) for a chance to play in Thursday's semifinal against the winner of No. 1 Poplar Bluff (16-9) and No. 5 Fox (4-21).

Jackson will try to find some consistent momentum -- it hasn't won two games in a row since Jan. 27. The Indians fell to Poplar Bluff in SEMO Conference competition on Feb. 15, 69-65.

The girls, meanwhile, are 21-4 and had won 14 games in a row before falling to Dexter, 59-35, in the regular-season finale. During that time, the Indians knocked off defending Class 5 state champion Rock Bridge.

Jackson earned itself a No. 1 seed in the district tournament and a bye into the semifinal round, where it will take on fourth-seeded Northwest tonight at 6. In the other semifinal, No. 2 Fox (18-7) challenges No. 3 Poplar Bluff (10-15). The Indians defeated the Mules 63-47 on Feb. 4.

All Class 5 District 1 games will be played at Northwest High School in Cedar Hill, Missouri. The championship games will be Thursday at 6 p.m. (girls) and 7:30 p.m. (boys).

Class 4 teams are also in district action, and the Class 4 District 1 tournament at Sikeston High School will feature the boys' and girls' quarterfinals tonight.

For the boys, No. 3 Notre Dame (11-11) faces No. 6 Kennett (10-12) at 5:30 p.m., while No. 4 Perryville (16-5) and No. 5 Dexter (12-10) battle at 8:30. Second-seeded Cape Central (19-4) awaits the winner of the former, while the latter victor will challenge No. 1 state-ranked Sikeston (19-1).

Central is the only team to have defeated the Bulldogs this season. The Tigers also have defeated Perryville (77-62) and played Notre Dame three times, winning two tournament matchups while falling in regular-season conference play.

The Pirates bested the Bearcats, 57-40, on Jan. 5.

In the girls bracket, No. 5 Cape Central (4-15) will look to upset No. 4 Kennett (12-9) today at 4 p.m. for the opportunity to take on top-seeded Dexter (17-4) in a semifinal Thursday, while third-seeded Notre Dame (8-13) tangles with sixth-seeded Perryville (9-11) today at 7 p.m., with the victor moving on to play No. 2 Sikeston (17-4) in a Thursday semifinal.

The Tigers already fell to Kennett once this season, 45-40 on Feb. 8 in SEMO Conference action. They also lost to Sikeston on Feb. 17 and Perryville on Feb. 18. Central has lost 11 in a row, its last win coming on Jan. 19.

The Pirates have not faced Notre Dame.

Sikeston already has notched wins against all of its district foes.

The Class 4 District 1 title tilts will be played Friday at 6 p.m. (girls) and 7:30 (boys).

Smaller school district champions will turn their focus to state title dreams when sectionals begin Tuesday.

In boys action, Advance (24-5) dropped Oran for the Class 1 District 2 championship and now takes its shot at Gideon (24-4) at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Bloomfield High School in a rematch of last year's sectional showdown. The Hornets won that one 47-45 before being knocked out in the semifinals by Meadville.

The winner of Tuesday night's game will earn a berth in a state quarterfinal at 2:45 p.m. Saturday in Van Buren, Missouri, taking on the winner of Eminence (15-13) and School of the Ozarks (24-3).

In Class 3 girls, Saxony Lutheran (25-2) will begin its prospective march toward glory at 6 p.m. Wednesday when it takes on Twin Rivers (19-9) at Dexter High School. It's a rematch of a Dec. 14 game when the Royals bested the Crusaders 57-55. That was the last time Saxony lost a game, winning 21 straight since then.

This sectional has looked the same the last three years, with the Crusaders winning the last two matchups. They took last year's meeting 70-36 before getting knocked off in overtime by Central (Park Hills) in the quarterfinal.

This year's quarterfinal will be played at 5 p.m. Saturday at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri, against the winner between Central (27-1) and Whitfield (25-3).

Bloomfield will also host the Class 1 girls sectional between Oran (23-3) and Naylor (20-7) at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Naylor won the battle of the Eagles at this same point last year, 59-31. District 2 champ Oran has only lost to Saxony Lutheran and Twin Rivers this season.

The last time Naylor failed to advance to the state quarterfinals was 2009. This time around either the Bunker Eagles (18-9) or Bradleyville Eagles (22-5) will await in the quarterfinals for yet another battle of majestic birds of prey. That game will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday at Van Buren High School.

Class 2 District 1 champion Scott County Central (17-8) will take on District 2 winner Neelyville (23-4) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Three Rivers Community College. The Tigers have advanced to at least the quarterfinals every year since 2013, and defeated Chaffee in a sectional game a year ago. SCC last advanced beyond this point in 2007.

The winner will face either Viburnum (15-11) or Clopton (23-4) in a quarterfinal at 6 p.m. Saturday in Farmington, Missouri.