MISSOULA -- The Missoula Hellgate boys and Helena Capital girls are No. 1 seeds for the Western AA divisional basketball tournaments, which begin Thursday at Missoula Sentinel High School.
BRACKETS: Western AA boys | Western AA girls
The Hellgate boys started the season as one of the favorites to win the state championship and have only strengthened their position during the regular season. They bring an undefeated 18-0 record (14-0 conference) into the divisional bracket and will start the tournament with a first-round game against eighth-seeded Missoula Big Sky at 9:30 a.m.
The rest of the boys first-round games: Kalispell Glacier vs. Helena High at 11 a.m., Missoula Sentinel vs. Butte at 3:30 p.m., and Helena Capital vs. Kalispell Flathead at 4 p.m. The boys semifinal games are scheduled for 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Friday, and the championship is 6 p.m. Saturday.
The Capital girls, meanwhile, have been nearly as impressive, cruising through the regular season with a 17-1 record (13-1 conference). The Bruins will play Missoula Big Sky at 12:30 p.m. in Thursday's first round.
Other girls first-round games: Kalispell Glacier vs. Helena High at 2 p.m., Missoula Sentinel vs. Butte at 6:30 p.m., and Missoula Hellgate vs. Kalispell Flathead at 8 p.m. The girls semifinals are set for 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, with the championship scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Four boys teams and four girls teams from the Western AA divisional tournament will advance to the Class AA state tournament, schedule for March 12-14 at Bozeman.
For information on the Eastern AA divisional tournaments, please click here.
