High school basketball zone and playoff tournaments underway

Posted on March 7, 2024 by admin

By Garrett Simmons
Westwind Weekly News

For basketball fans, this is the most wonderful time of the year.

March madness is sweeping southern Alberta, as zone tournaments are scheduled for this weekend, with high school provincial championships right around the corner.

Junior varsity playoffs got underway Monday in the 4A loop, as Raymond outlasted Lethbridge Collegiate Institute in girls action by a score of 57-48.

In JV boys play, Magrath fell 76-64 to LCI in a Monday-night game.

On Wednesday night, Raymond and Medicine Hat were set to battle in one JV girls semifinal, while Cardston and Magrath were to meet in the other semi.

Raymond was also set to host Cardston in one of the JV boys semifinal matchups.

On the senior circuit, today is the big day, as LCI and Magrath will play at 2 p.m. at the University of Lethbridge in the girls semifinal. Raymond will play in the other semi at 4 p.m.

The big matchup will take place tonight at 8 p.m., as Magrath and Raymond will play in the nightcap to see which team will advance to the senior varsity boys championship game.

Saturday’s senior varsity championship games are set for 6 p.m. for the girls and 8 p.m. for the boys.

JV championship games on Saturday will go at 10 a.m. for the girls and noon for the boys.

For Stirling High School teams, the girls team will kick off the 1A zone tournament on Friday at 3 p.m. at Lethbridge College with a semifinal contest against the winner of Thursday night’s game between No. 4 ranked Foremost and No. 5 Erle Rivers. Stirling enters play as the top seed.

Stirling’s boys team is also the top seed, and also has a semifinal game set for Friday. The Lakers will play at 8:15 p.m. at Lethbridge College against the winner of No. 4 Immanuel Christian and No. 5 Kainai. Those teams will play in Thursday’s quarterfinal.