Tourney time for area boys
After two weeks of practice, it’s time for the area boys basketball teams to play for keeps.
All six Bureau County teams will tip off the 2012-13 season this week. Here’s a review of roundball tournaments:
At Princeton/Sterling: Princeton plays host to Morrison Monday to tip off the round-robin Sauk Valley Tournament. Then the Tigers will hit the road Tuesday to face Brad Bickett’s Rock Falls Rockets before venturing to Sterling’s Musgrove Fieldhouse to face the host Warriors on Wednesday, Newman on Friday and Dixon on Saturday.
Rock Falls is the defending champion, defeating Sterling in double overtime for the title.
At Wethersfield: Bureau Valley takes the No. 2 seed into the Wally Keller Invitational at Kewanee Wethersfield, opening at 7 p.m. Monday vs. No. 5 Annawan. The Storm will also get games in with No. 3 Wethersfield at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, No. 6 Midland at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, No. 4 Elmwood at 7 p.m. Friday before squaring off against No. 1 Putnam County at 8:30 p.m. Nov. 24 in a potential championship tilt.
PC is the defending champion, having knocked off No. 1 seed Brimfield in last year’s finals. The sophomore squads will begin pool play on Friday with finals Nov. 24.
At Coal City: The St. Bede Bruins start the season at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday against the Morris Redskins, looking to hand second-year coach Mike Kilmartin his 400th career victory. The round-robin event continues Friday with St. Bede facing the host Coalers at 7 p.m. and again Saturday with St. Bede up against Gardner-South Wilmington at 5:30 p.m.
The sophomore teams play opposite of the varsity matchups.
At Seneca: Mike Filippini’s Hall Red Devils return to the Turkey Tournament at Seneca, opening at 8 p.m. Monday vs. Braidwood Reed-Custer. The Red Devils continue pool play vs. Somonauk at 5 p.m. Tuesday and Illiana Christian at 4:30 p.m. Friday with finals to be played out next Saturday. Illiana Christian is the defending champion.
At Ashton: Football partners will meet on the hardwood when the LaMoille Lions and Amboy Clippers tangle at 6 p.m. Monday in the AFC Tournament. Other games on tap for the Lions will be Tuesday vs. Polo and Wednesday vs. Hiawatha, both at 6 p.m., and Friday at 7:30 p.m. vs. Hiawatha.
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