As of Monday, 5 of the 10 local high school basketball teams now know their district seeds and opponents, with one tournament being played close to home.
The last district championship for the Exeter girls basketball team came in 2011, and 14 years later — only two season removed from a three-year stretch with a single win — a shot at the Class 1, District 3 title is well within reach.
With the Class 2, District 11 Tournament at its gym Feb. 24-28, the Purdy boys basketball team has one major focus in the next two weeks — get healthy.
With five games left on the schedule, the Cassville girls basketball team already has the most wins in a season since 2017-2018, and the Lady Wildcats are hoping to ride their success in a successful postseason.
The Cassville boys basketball team (4-13) has only seven games left before Class 4, District 12 action in Monett, and four of the seven games have Big 8 implications. The Wildcats are two weeks removed from a fifth-place finish at the 40th Annual Spokane Invitational, falling 59-52 to Strafford in the opening round, but rebounding with wins over Southwest and Ash Grove to take fifth.
Exeter boys basketball coach dislikes the phrase “rebuilding year,” but there are not many other ways to describe this year’s Tigers squad as they find their new identity. After losing a strong group of seniors to graduation last year, Williams said Exeter is still working to find its best lineup, a work in progress.