Division B-C basketball playoff pairings

There were still two spots to settle as of Monday afternoon in the Western C Divisional basketball tournament this coming weekend in Butte after eight teams from the 13C district tournament secured berths in the next round of playoffs.

The Class B battles, which now proceed to Hamilton for the Western B Divisional tournament, are settled, with four teams from the 7B and four from the 6B advancing to the Western division finals. 

St. Regis’ boys and Drummond’s girls won District 13C titles this past weekend in the debut of the newly formed conference, which was formerly the 13C and the 14C (now defunct). 

Thompson Falls’ boys won the Class 7B district title, while St. Ignatius (Mission) narrowly defeated Thompson Falls’ girls to win the 7B girls' championships.  Both title winners advance to the Western Division B tournament in Hamilton against qualifiers from the Western 6B league. 

All district champions earned the number one seed in the next round. 

Heading to Butte for the Class C divisional boys’ tournament, in addition to St. Regis, are Seeley-Swan (2 seed), Lincoln (3 seed) and Noxon (4 seed).   

Advancing to the girls C divisional from the 13C tournament are Drummond (1 seed), Charlo (2 seed), Seeley (3 seed) and Hot Springs (4 seed) 

Still to be determined was the “fifth” seed to advance from among the two Western districts (13C and 12C).  Those spots were determined Monday evening in games between Twin Bridges (12C) and Two Eagle River (13) on the boys’ side. 

A second play-in game Monday evening pitted Lincoln’s girls (13C) and against the ladies from Manhattan Christian, in Manhattan. 

Initial Divisional pairings in the Western Division boys’ tournament feature St. Regis taking on the fourth seed from the 12C or 13C this Thursday at 3 pm.  Lincoln plays West Yellowstone that same day at 4:30 in Butte. 

In the girls’ Western C, Hot Springs will play either Sheilds Valley at noon this Thursday (Feb 27), or Drummond at 6 pm, pending the outcome of the play-in games Monday night. 

Thompson Falls boys first round Divisional B playoff game is set for 11:30 am Thursday (Feb 27) at Hamilton. In the girls competition, Superior takes on Missoula Loyola at 3 pm Thursday. 

The T Falls girls face Anaconda that evening at 4:45 pm. 

The two double-elimination tournaments run through Saturday in Butte and Hamilton. 

Top finishers in the Divisional rounds advance to the State B and C championships March 13-15 (B, University of Montana, Missoula), and the C tournament March 12-15 at the Civic Center in Butte.