St. James plans to defend Christmas title

PARK HILLS — At the recent seeding meeting or the girls side of the 48th Annual Bob Sechrest, Jr. Central Christmas Basketball Tournament, all coaches agreed that St. James was the team to beat. St. James, which won first place last year received the No. 1 seed again this year, and with four of their starters returning this year, they should be a formidable foe.

MAAA fans will have plenty of action in the first round on Friday with large school foes #4 Central and #5 Fredericktown playing at 11:30 a.m. and small-school foes #3 Bismarck and #6 Arcadia Valley going at it at 1 p.m.

All together, the girls tournament consists of 11 games which will be intermingled with the 26 on the boys side of the tournament The semi-final games will be on December 29 and the consolation, third-place and championship games will all take place on New Year’s Eve.