Cole Blankenship and the Logan Wildcats are riding a five-game winning streak entering postseason, which starts on Tuesday for the Wildcats at home against Lincoln County (Photo by Boothe Davis/Captured by the Moment Photography).
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
MAN Three Logan County teams start their quest for a state championship when the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission Sectional Basketball Tournament gets underway tonight in Man and throughout the state of West Virginia.
The Hillbillies get things going tonight in the Class A Region IV Section 1 tournament at home against fifth seed Van.
The fourth-seeded Hillbillies own two wins over the Bulldogs this season, defeating Van, 53-40, at Man on December 7 and again at Van, 75-43, on January 22.
Man (6-16) is coming into tonight's sectional play-in game having lost eight of its last 10 games while Van (1-20) has lost 18 straight games.
The Bulldogs lone win of the season came on December 8 when they defeated Richwood, 45-33, in the consolation game of the Stephen Caldwell Holiday Tournament at the Man Memorial Fieldhouse.
The winner of tonight's contest will face top-seed and Class A No. 2 Tug Valley Wednesday night at Tug Valley High School.
In Wednesday's other Class A Region IV Section 1 semifinal, second seed Tolsia will host third-seed Sherman with the winners meeting Friday at the site of the highest seed.
Reigning Class AA champion Chapmanville is the top seed in the Class AA Region III Section 2 tournament. The Tigers are guaranteed a spot in next Wednesday's Region III championship and could host one of two games if they win a ninth straight sectional championship.
Chapmanville (16-6), ranked fifth in Class AA, will host the winner of Tuesday's contest between second seed Mingo Central (6-16) and third seed Liberty (Raleigh) (4-18) on Friday at the Danny Godby Gymnasium.
The Tigers own two wins over Mingo Central, defeating the Miners, 67-47, on January 31 at Chapmanville and once more at Mingo Central, 68-51, on February 13.
Chapmanville and Liberty (Raleigh) did not meet this season, but the Tigers and Raiders have met in the past three sectional championship games won by the Tigers.
A win Friday night and Chapmanville would host the loser of top-ranked Bluefield and seventh-ranked Wyoming East. The Tigers defeated the Warriors, 43-42, on February 7 at Wyoming East High School.
Chapmanville and Bluefield have not met this season, but they did split a pair of games last season. Bluefield won 74-63 at the Parmar Stores Shootout at the Big House on the campus of West Virginia State University before Chapmanville won 57-50 in last year's Class AA semifinals.
One of the hottest schools entering sectional tournament play is Logan. The Wildcats, ranked seventh in Class AAA, earned the top seed after a perfect 6-0 regular season against Class AAA Region IV Section 2 competition.
The Wildcats open sectional play Tuesday night at home against fourth-seeded Lincoln County, who nearly knocked off the Wildcats if not for a late Julius Clancy 3-pointer on February 6 to give the Wildcats a 47-44 win.
The two schools met 16 days later at Lincoln County High School. The second meeting was not as close with Logan winning 65-38.
A win Tuesday night and the Wildcats would host either second seed Wayne (9-11) or third seed Scott (7-15) with the right to host one of two Class AAA Region IV championships next Wednesday, March 6.
Logan is looking for its second state tournament berth in three years.
Class AAA Region IV Section 1 Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, February 27
Nitro (20-2) Vs 4. Point Pleasant (8-14), 7 p.m.
Ripley (10-12) Vs 3. Winfield (6-16), 7 p.m.
Friday, March 1
Championship at higher seed, 7 p.m.
Class AAA Region IV Section 2 Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, February 27
Logan (13-9) Vs 4. Lincoln County (6-16), 7 p.m.
Wayne (9-11) Vs 3. Scott (7-15), 7 p.m.
Friday, March 1
Championship at higher seed, 7 p.m.
Class AA Region III Section 1 Tournament Schedule
Friday, February 23
Bluefield 75, 4. Summers County 48
Wyoming East 50, 3. Westside 27
Tuesday, February 27
2. Wyoming East (16-6) at 1. Bluefield (17-5), 7 p.m.
Class AA Region III Section 2 Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, February 27
2. Mingo Central (6-16) Vs 3. Liberty Raleigh (4-18), 7 p.m.
Friday, March 1
2. Mingo Central/3. Liberty Raleigh winner at 1. Chapmanville (16-6)
Class A Region IV Section 1 Tournament Schedule
Monday, February 26
4. Man (6-16) Vs 5. Van (1-20), 7 p.m.
Wednesday, February 28
4. Man/5. Van winner at 1. Tug Valley (16-6), 7 p.m.
2. Tolsia (14-8) Vs 3. Sherman (12-10), 7 p.m.
Friday, March 1
Championship at higher seed, 7 p.m.
Class A Region IV Section 2 Tournament Schedule
Saturday, February 24
4. Gilmer County 86, 5. Hannan 57
Wednesday, February 28
1. Huntington St. Joe's (14-7) Vs 4. Gilmer County (6-17), 7 p.m.
2. Wahama (16-6) Vs 3. Calhoun County (15-7), 7 p.m.
Friday, March 1
Championship at higher seed, 7 p.m.