Area Class 1A basketball teams are playing in the District 5 Tournament this week.
The girls tournament began this past Tuesday night. Top-seed Stratton beat eighth-seed Bethune, after fifth-seed Otis beat fourth-seed Flagler, 49-37. On the other side of the bracket, second-seed Idalia hosted seventh-seed Lone Star, third-seed Arickaree beat sixth-seed Hi-Plains, 40-37. Stratton and Otis will square off in one semifinal on Friday, while Arickaree will take on Idalia.
Stratton also was the top seed in the boys bracket, which began play Wednesday. Stratton hosted eighth-seed Bethune, preceded by fourth-seed Idalia playing fifth-seed Hi-Plains. Otis is the second seed, hosting seventh-seed Flagler. Prior to that game third-seed Arickaree hosted sixth-seed Lone Star.
Otis and Lone Star both won, Wednesday, advancing to the semifinals.
The semifinals and finals move to Brush High School on Friday and Saturday.
The girls semifinals are 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and the boys at 11:30 a.m. (Otis bracket) and 2:30 p.m. The girls championship is 5 p.m. Saturday, followed by the boys final at approximately 6:30.
In Class 1A, the eight district winners will be a top seed for regional, as long as the team also is in the Top 16 in the CHSAA and MaxPreps metrics. The remaining 24 teams will be selected based on the metrics following districts.
OTIS BOYS
The Otis High School boys basketball team entered the postseason this week after posting the program’s best regular season in several years.
The Bulldogs hosted the first round of district on Wednesday of this week as the second seed in District 5, hosting seventh-seed Flagler. Otis went 16-3 in the regular season, won the YWKC League title, and enter the postseason on a 14-game winning streak.
Otis closed out the regular season last weekend with wins over Flagler and Genoa-Hugo/Karval, both on the road.
The Bulldogs blew past Flagler 71-22 last Friday, scoring 34 points in the second quarter for a 54-15 lead. Charlie Kendrick had 18 points, four rebounds and four steals, Jack Willeke 16 points, five steals and three blocks, Mitchell Stivers nine points and two steals, Sawyer Packer nine points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists, Grady Bechtle six points and four rebounds, Erick Thorn four points and six assists, Carter Wells four points and three assists, JJ Ward three points and three assists, and Jacob Perry two points and two assists.
The Bulldogs then played in Hugo against the Pirates, Saturday afternoon, riding a 26-11 third quarter to a 64-47 win. Otis wins were not available.
Otis also picked up a huge home win over 2A Merino earlier last week, 70-64. Willeke had 21 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals, Kendrick 16 points and three rebounds, Wells 15 points, five steals and three assists, Packer 11 points, six rebounds and three assists, Austin Hornung two points an four assists, and Thorn five assists.
LONE STAR BOYS
The Lone Star boys basketball team entered this week as the sixth seed in the Class 1A District 5 Tournament.
The Longhorns were 5-11 entering the postseason after closing out the regular season earlier last week with a 54-44 loss at Prairie. Lone Star statistics were not available.
The Longhorns picked up a big win over Arickaree in the district first round, Wednesday night at Otis.
ARICKAREE BOYS
The Arickaree boys basketball team entered the postseason this week as the third seed in Class 1A District 5 after going 12-6 in the regular season.
The Bison played sixth-seed Lone Star on Wednesday of this week in Otis with a chance to move on to the district semifinals in Brush on Friday. It was not meant to be however, as the Bison lost to Lone Star, ending its stay in regional.
They closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak, including two victories last weekend.
First up was an 82-59 win at Miami-Yoder in Rush, last Friday. Logan Wright had 26 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five steals, Dillon Noletubby 15 points, four rebounds and seven steals, Jake King 13 points and four rebounds, Logan Cordell 13 points and four rebounds, Austin Wright eight points and five rebounds, and Bryce Shaffer seven points and six rebounds.
The Bison then hosted Kiowa on Saturday, claiming a 59-36 win. King had 13 points and four rebounds, Noletubby 11 points and three assists, Hayden Page 10 points and eight rebounds, L. Wright eight points, seven rebounds and four assists, A. Wright seven points and two rebounds, Shaffer five points and two rebounds, Cordell three points and two rebounds. And Nic Hermes two points and two rebounds.
OTIS GIRLS
The Otis High School girls basketball team entered the Class 1A District 5 Tournament as the fifth seed, earlier this week.
Otis won its last two games of the regular season, entering district with a 7-12 record, then beat Flagler on Tuesday to advance to the District 5 semifinals, Friday at Brush High School.
The Bulldogs earned a 63-51 win at Flagler, last Friday, leading 39-21 at halftime. Aedyn Tribelhorn had 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals, Madelyn Willeke 15 points and 14 rebounds, Hailey Stivers nine points and five rebounds, Rowan Tribelhorn seven points, three rebounds, and three assists, Alli Hornung five points, six assists and four 
rebounds, Layce Perry four points and two rebounds, and Kayce Perry two points, four rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Otis closed out the regular season with a visit to Hugo, pulling out a 35-27 win against Genoa-Hugo/Karval. Hornung had 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists, R. Tribelhorn eight points, four rebounds, and three steals, A. Tribelhorn six pints, six rebounds and four assists, Stivers four points and two rebounds, Willeke two points and nine rebounds, and K. Perry two points and six rebounds.
LONE STAR GIRLS
The Lone Star girls basketball team entered the postseason this week with a 6-10 record.
The Longhorns closed out the regular season earlier last week with a 43-12 loss at Prairie. Jade Kuntz had four points and five rebounds, Paityn Forry four points and five rebounds, Amanda Kubitz four points and three rebounds, Leah Kubitz six rebounds, and Aimee Trejo four rebounds.
ARICKAREE GIRLS
The Arickaree girls basketball team was an even 9-9 entering the Class 1A District 5 Tournament, earlier week.
The Bison split their last two games of the regular season, last weekend, then won their district game Tuesday to advance to the semifinals, Friday in Brush.
First up was a 51-16 win at Miami-Yoder in Rush, last Friday. Janiya Smith had 17 points, five rebounds and four assists, Cora Schrock 10 points and seven rebounds, Raeya Schrock 10 points and six rebounds, McKenna Jess five points and four steals, Janice Kalcevic four points and seven rebounds, Julisa Quinteros three poitns and seven rebounds, Lilly Monat one point and five rebounds, and Rilee Barry one point.
The Bison hosted Kiowa on Saturday, losing 43-33. Smith had 13 points and four rebounds, R. Schrock 10 points and three rebounds, Kalcevic four points and four rebounds, C. Schrock three points and four rebounds, Jesse two points and three rebounds, Monat one point and nine rebounds, and Quinteros six rebounds.