Macoupin County basketball tournament pairings released
Staunton boys and Carlinville girls receive top seeds
By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter
Pairings have been released for the Macoupin County basketball tournament, which is scheduled for Jan. 20-24 at Carlinville High School.
Boys
After living up to expectations as a top seed in winning the Carlinville Holiday Tournament, the Staunton boys are also the favorites to take the county title as well. The Bulldogs automatically qualify for the semifinals and will meet the winner of the Jan. 20 opening round game between No. 4 North Mac and No. 5 Bunker Hill at 6 p.m. Jan. 22. The Panthers and Minutemen tip off boys’ action at 1:30 p.m. on Martin Luther King Day.
Southwestern, the No. 2 seed, is looking to four-peat as the boys’ champion. The Birds begin their title defense against No. 7 Mt. Olive at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 20. No. 3 Carlinville and No. 6 Gillespie will follow later that evening at 7:30 p.m. The losers square off at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 22 and the winners will compete for a spot in the championship game alongside Staunton or North Mac/Bunker Hill at 7:30 p.m.
The fifth place game, featuring the consolation victor and the North Mac/Bunker Hill loser, is Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. Tournament action concludes with the third place contest (4:30 p.m.) and championship (7:30 p.m.) Jan. 24.
Girls
Carlinville is the top seed in the girls’ bracket and will meet either No. 4 North Mac or No. 5 Southwestern in the first semifinal Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. The Panthers and Piasa Birds play their first round game on Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. The NM/SW loser plays for fifth place Jan. 23 at 4:30 p.m.
Gillespie, the No. 2 seed, is seeking to repeat after landing its first county title since 2002. The Miners will face No. 7 Bunker Hill in the tournament opener, which tips at noon Jan. 20. No. 3 Staunton, which lost to Gillespie in last year’s championship game, battles No. 6 Mt. Olive later in the afternoon at 3 p.m. The losers play for a fifth place berth in the consolation bracket Jan. 21 at 4:30 p.m. while the winners advance to the ensuing semifinal that will follow Carlinville vs. NM/SW at 7:30 p.m. that night. The semifinal losers compete for third place at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23.
The girls’ championship game tips off at 6 p.m. on Jan. 24.
