Tom Dodge
PORT BARRE – The Beau Chene Gators and the North Central Lady Hurricanes are the top seeds heading into the annual St. Landry Parish basketball tournament that begins Thursday at Port Barre.
The Gators (7-0) won the parish title two years ago, while the Lady Hurricanes (8-3) have captured five straight parish titles.
Port Barre will host four first round games Thursday before the tournament moves to Northwest High for the final two nights.
The girls consolation game is 2:30 p.m. Saturday with the finals set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
After North Central, the rest of the girls seedings include No. 2 Opelousas High (4-6), third-seeded Northwest (4-4 ), No, 4 Beau Chene (3-5) fifth-seed Eunice High (1-7) and No. 6 Port Barre (1-3).
Eunice defeated Northwest 51-47 to earn a third-place finish last season.
The Lady Cats will take on Northwest at 3:30 p.m. Thursday to open the tournament.
The EHS-BC winner will face top-seed North Central 5 p.m. Friday.
The EHS-BC loser will face the Northwest-Port Barre loser at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
The NW-PB winner will face No. 2 Opelousas High 3:30 p.m. Friday.
Following top-seed Beau Chene in the boys’ bracket is No. 2 Opelousas High (7-2), third-seed North Central (7-5), No. 4 Eunice (1-5), fifth-seed Northwest (1-5) and No. 6 Port Barre (2-5).
Eunice defeated Port Barre 48-45 to captured the boys title last season, the Bobcats’ first parish championship since 2005.
Beau Chene won the 2015 boys title and OHS had consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013.
Eunice will take on Northwest 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
With a win, the Bobcats will take on top-seed Beau Chene 8 p.m. Friday.
A loss pits Eunice against the North Central/Port Barre loser 1 p.m. Saturday.
The boys consolation game is 4 p.m. Saturday with the championship game set for 7 p.m. Saturday.