ORAN, WOODLAND HOST ANNUAL TOURNAMENTS

While the area high school basketball season officially opened last week, things will get truly serious this week as traditional early-season tournaments take front and center stage.

Oran and Woodland will host their annual eight-team boys events beginning today. The Farmington Tournament, for boys and girls, also tips off, while Scott City will be a host for the I-55 Classic, a boys tourney that begins later in the week.

On the girls side, Cape Central will take part in the four-team Oakville round-robin tournament beginning today.

Following is a look at how all of this week's tournaments stack up:

Oran

Defending champion Kelly has again drawn the top seed, followed by Scott County Central, Oran, Twin Rivers, Richland, Gideon, Bell City and Oran's JV.

There will be three first-round games today: Kelly vs. Oran JV at 5:30; Oran vs. Gideon at 7; and Scott Central vs. Bell City at 8:30.

The opening round will conclude Tuesday when Twin Rivers plays Richland at 8.

Semifinals are set for 7 and 8:30 Thursday, with the championship at 8:30 Friday. Also Friday, there will be a consolation final at 5:30 and a third-place game at 7.

Kelly defeated Oran 87-59 to win last year's title.

Woodland

Woodland, second in its own tournament last year, is seeded first this time around.

Delta, which beat Woodland 49-39 in the final a year ago, is seeded second, followed by Bloomfield, Advance, Leopold, Oak Ridge, Zalma and Meadow Heights.

Today's first-round action features Woodland vs. Meadow Heights at 5:30; Advance vs. Leopold at 7; and Delta vs. Zalma at 8:30.

The first round wraps up Tuesday when Bloomfield battles Oak Ridge at 6:30.

Semifinals are set for 7 and 8:30 Thursday, with the championship at 8:30 Friday. The consolation final and third-place game will also be played Friday, at 5:30 and 7.

Farmington

Jackson won both titles last season and the school's teams are seeded first in each division once again. With just six teams in each bracket, both squads advance directly to the semifinals.

Jackson's girls will play Tuesday at 5:30, against the winner of No. 4 North County and No. 5 Fredericktown. Those squads play at 5:30 today.

Second-seeded Farmington also is in Tuesday's semifinals, against either No. 3 Park Hills Central or No. 6 Potosi, who play at 7 tonight.

Jackson's boys will play Wednesday at 7, against the winner of No. 4 Potosi and No. 5 Fredericktown, who play at 8:30 tonight.

Farmington is also seeded second on the boys side. The Knights will have its semifinal at 8:30 Wednesday, against the winner of No. 3 North County and No. 6 Park Hills Central, who square off at 7 Tuesday.

Championship games are Friday, the girls at 6:30 and the boys at 8.

I-55

This tournament has changed its look, adding four teams and a location.

In the past, Scott City hosted four teams for round-robin play. The Rams will still host four teams for the first two days of the tournament Thursday and Friday, but four more squads will compete those same days at North Pemiscot. Then all eight teams will be at Scott City Saturday for the finals.

Thursday at Scott City, it's the No. 1 host squad vs. No. 4 St. Vincent at 6 and No. 2 Hayti vs. No. 3 East Prairie at 7:30. Friday, there will be a consolation semifinal at 6 and a semifinal at 7:30.

Thursday at North Pemiscot, it's No. 1 Senath vs. the No. 4 host team at 6 and No. 2 South Pemiscot vs. No. 3 Delta C-7 at 7:30. Friday, the consolation semifinal will be at 6 and the semifinal at 7:30.

Saturday at Scott City, there will be four finals games: seventh place at 4, fifth place at 5:30, third place at 7 and the championship at 8:30.

Oakville

This tournament has also changed its format, moving to a round-robin affair.

Cape Central has three games in the next three days, all at 5:30: today vs. Francis Howell, Tuesday vs. Fox and Wednesday vs. Oakville.