Tigers returning to Basehor

After a three-year absence, Fort Scott High School's basketball teams will return to the Basehor-Linwood Invitational next week.

The Tigers appeared in the tournament from 2001 to 2007. Prior to that the boys had appeared in Chanute's Ralph Miller Classic for about 25 years while the girls had most often attended the Louisburg Tournament.

The Louisburg Tournament was always held a week after the Ralph Miller Classic, which resulted in the girls always playing four games that week as they also had to play their Southeast Kansas League opener on Friday.

Fort Scott chose to bow out of the Basehor tournament after the 2007 tourney when the Southeast Kansas League instituted a double-round robin schedule of 16 games starting with the 2007-08 season. Because the Kansas State High School Activities Association allows member schools only 20 regular-season games, this meant all the SEK schools could appear in only one in-season tournament each year. Fort Scott chose to continue attending the season-opening Willard (Mo.) Classic in December.

As the only school in the area choosing not to play in a mid-season tournament, Fort Scott's teams have had as many as 14 days off in January of each season.

When the SEK decided to return to the single round-robin eight-game schedule this season, Fort Scott was able to reenter the Basehor-Linwood Invitational, which brings together a field of schools from northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri that's as tough as some State tournaments.

This year should be no exception as four of the girls' teams and three in the boys' field are ranked by either the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association or the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

Tournament play begins Monday and concludes Saturday with four games each day. Fort Scott's teams make their first appearances on Tuesday.

Monday's girls games have Ottawa, ranked No. 8 in Class 4A by the KBCA, facing St. Joseph (Mo.)-Benton at 3 p.m. followed by host Basehor-Linwood, ranked No. 4 in 4A by the KBCA, taking on Park Hill (Mo.) at 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, play begins with Holton, ranked No. 2 in Kansas 4A, facing Pembroke Hill (Mo.) at 3 p.m. with Fort Scott taking on Platte County (Mo.), ranked No. 7 in Missouri Class 4, at 6 p.m.

Girls' consolation games will be held Wednesday and Friday at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Championship-side games will be played Thursday and Saturday, also at 3 and 6.

The boys' side of the bracket starts Monday with two ranked teams facing off. Ottawa, 10th in Kansas 4A and the defending State runner-up, faces Platte County, eighth in Missouri Class 4, at 4:30. Park Hill faces Pembroke Hill at 7:30.

Tuesday's games have Fort Scott taking on Maryville, sixth in Missouri Class 3, at 4:30 and Basehor-Linwood, No. 2 in Kansas 4A, takes on St. Joseph-Benton at 7:30.

As with the girls, consolation games will take place Wednesday and Friday and championship bracket games on Thursday and Saturday with 4:30 and 7:30 start times.

The complete schedule:

GIRLS

Monday's Games

Ottawa vs. St. Joseph-Benton, 3 p.m.

Basehor-Linwood vs. Park Hill, 6 p.m.

Tuesday's Games

Holton vs. Pembroke Hill, 3 p.m.

Fort Scott vs. Platte County, 6 p.m.

Wednesday's Games

Holton-Pembroke Hill loser vs. Fort Scott-Platte County loser, 3 p.m.

Ottawa-Benton loser vs. Basehor-Linwood--Park Hill loser, 6 p.m.

Thursday's Games

Holton-Pembroke Hill winner vs. Fort Scott-Platte County winner, 3 p.m.

Ottawa-Benton winner vs. Basehor-Linwood--Park Hill winner, 6 p.m.

Friday's Games

Seventh-place, 3 p.m.

Fifth-place, 6 p.m.

Saturday's Games

Third-place, 3 p.m.

Championship, 6 p.m.

BOYS

Monday's Games

Ottawa vs. Platte County, 4:30

Park Hill vs. Pembroke Hill, 7:30

Tuesday's Games

Fort Scott vs. Maryville, 4:30

Basehor-Linwood vs. St. Joseph-Benton, 7:30

Wednesday's Games

Ottawa-Platte County loser vs. Basehor-Linwood--Benton loser, 4:30

Fort Scott-Maryville loser vs. Park Hill-Pembroke Hill loser, 7:30

Thursday's Games

Ottawa-Platte County winner vs. Basehor-Linwood--Benton winner, 4:30

Fort Scott-Maryville winner vs. Park Hill-Pembroke Hill winner, 7:30

Friday's Games

Seventh-place, 4:30

Fifth-place, 7:30

Saturday's Games

Third-place, 4:30

Championship, 7:30