Park Hill South is the top ranked Platte County team entering the large school district brackets which kick off this weekend.
The Panthers enter the postseason as the No. 2 seed in Class 5 District 14 with a 21-4 record and are assured of at least a share of the Suburban Conference Red Division Title after finishing with an 8-2 record in the conference season. Truman, who has one remaining game at Raytown on Wednesday, Feb. 21, can clinch a split with a win. The Panthers will face No. 3 seed, St. Teresa’s Academy on Wednesday, Feb. 28 in the semifinals of the district bracket.
The winner advances to the championship to play the winner between the top seed North Kansas City (22-2) or the winner of the No. 4 vs. 5 play-in game Ruskin or Raytown. The Hornets come in as the No. 1 team in Class 5 according to the latest Missouri Basketball Coaches Association poll. Park Hill South is the No. 5 team in the same metric. North Kansas City claimed the crown a year ago with a 42-38 win against the Panthers.
Kearney headlines the field in the Class 4 District 15 Tournament, entering as the top seed and the No. 9 team in the Class 4 poll.
Platte County enters as the No. 3 seed and will play No. 6 seed Northeast (Kansas City) on Saturday, Feb. 24 in Kearney. A win would mean a matchup with No. 2 seed Smithville in the semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
The two future conference foes have split the two meetings this year.
The championship game is set for Friday, March 2. Kearney, who earned a first-round bye will face the winner of St. Pius X, the No. 4 seed or Excelsior Springs, the No. 5 team in the semis.
Park Hill enters its district tournament as the No. 4 seed in Class 5 District 16. The Trojans are set to play Winnetonka on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Staley High School in Kansas City to open the bracket. The winner gets the top-seeded district host in the semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Staley enters with a 12-11 record.
The championship will be on Friday, March 2 between the semifinal winners which includes No. 2 St. Joseph Central and No. 3 Oak Park in the other matchup.
Park Hill enters as the defending district champion after a quarterfinal run a year ago.