SEMO Conference boys basketball tournament still on; Lady Devil Invitational pushed back

The SEMO Conference boys basketball tournament tentatively is scheduled to begin tonight at Sikeston High School despite the cancellation of classes for many of the participating schools due to icy road conditions.

Jackson athletic director John Martin said he anticipated a decision on whether to play the games to be made by noon today.

Fifth-seeded Notre Dame is scheduled to kick off the tournament with a 5:30 p.m. game against No. 4 Charleston. Second-seeded Jackson is to follow against No. 7 Poplar Bluff at 7 p.m., while No. 1 Sikeston and No. 8 New Madrid County Central are slated for 8 p.m. Third-seeded Cape Central and No. 6 Kennett are to conclude first-round play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Martin said if today's games are canceled, the first-day games would be pushed back to Tuesday. Games then would be played Wednesday, which had been scheduled as an open day. The semifinals and finals would take place as originally scheduled on Thursday and Friday.

The start of the Lady Devil Invitational in Chaffee, Mo., has been delayed. The tournament was to begin tonight, but play instead will start Wednesday when top-seeded Woodland meets Puxico at 4 p.m. All four first-round games will be played Wednesday. The semifinals will be held Thursday and the championship is slated for 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Saxony Lutheran boys basketball team is scheduled to conclude the Crystal City tournament this week. The Crusaders are tentatively scheduled to play Jefferson at 6 p.m. today and conclude tournament play Wednesday.

The championship games of the Oran and Woodland boys basketball tournaments, which were postponed last week, have not been rescheduled.