TRIMONT – Top-seeded Martin County West plays its first game in the Section 2A South Sub-Section boys basketball tournament Tuesday, hosting eighth-seeded Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8:01 p.m. The late start is due to township elections.
The Mavericks, who had an opening-round bye in the tournament, have a 22-4 record. MCW’s last game was a 55-50 win at Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Feb. 25.
The Jaguars (10-16) were 65-50 winners over ninth-seeded Nicollet in the first round Thursday.
Martin County West, rated third in Class 1A by Minnesota Basketball News, has outscored its opponents by an average of 59.7-45.0 this season. TMLGHEC has scored 61.8 points while allowing 64.9.
Martin County West won both regular season meetings between the Valley Conference rivals, 74-58 in Trimont on Dec. 16 and 59-34 in Truman on Jan. 20.
Tuesday’s winner advances to the sub-section semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday at Lake Crystal, where it will meet the winner of the game between fifth-seeded Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (15-11) and Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey (20-6), 8:01 p.m.
On the other side of the 2A South bracket, seventh-seeded United South Central (12-15) is at second-seeded Mankato Loyola (18-8) and sixth-seeded Madelia (13-14) visits third-seeded Springfield (18-8). Those winners play the late game Thursday at Lake Crystal.
SECTION 2A SOUTH SUB-SECTION
Thursday, March 4
First round
Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain 62, Nicollet 50
United South Central 83, Alden-Conger 45
Madelia 78, Cleveland 39
Tuesday, March 8
Quarterfinals
Upper bracket
Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain (10-16) at Martin County West (22-4), 8:01 p.m.
Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (15-11) at Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey (20-6), 8:01 p.m.
Lower bracket
United South Central (12-15) at Mankato Loyola (18-8), 8:01 p.m.
Madelia (13-14) at Springfield (18-8), 8:01 p.m.
Thursday, March 10
Semifinals
At Lake Crystal
Upper bracket winners, 6 p.m.
Lower bracket winners, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, March 15
Championship
At St. Peter High School
Semifinal winners, 7:45 p.m.
SECTION 2A NORTH SUB-SECTION
Thursday, March 4
First round
Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 52, Sleepy Eye 35
Tuesday, March 8
Quarterfinals
Upper bracket
Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop (5-22) at Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (17-11), 8:01 p.m.
Mayer Lutheran (15-11) at New Ulm Cathedral (17-9), 8:01 p.m.
Lower bracket
Cedar Mountain (10-15) at BOLD (18-8), 8:01 p.m.
Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (10-12) at Lester Prairie (18-8), 8:01 p.m.
Thursday, March 10
Semifinals
At St. Peter High School
Upper bracket winners, 6 p.m.
Lower bracket winners, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, March 15
Championship
At St. Peter High School
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
SECTION 2A
Friday, March 18
Championship
At MSU
South Sub-Section vs. North Sub-Section, 6 p.m.