The days between Christmas and New Year’s Day are always a treat for fans of high school basketball. 

The five local teams are set to play in three different area tournaments over the holiday break, meaning there’s plenty of hoops to go around. 

Waterloo (10-2) and Columbia (8-2) are playing in the annual Freeburg-Columbia Christmas Tournament taking place Friday through Sunday in Freeburg. 

The Bulldogs open tourney play at 3:30 p.m. Friday against Nelson County, Ky., then face Marquette at 2 p.m. and Freeburg at 6:30 p.m. Saturday before concluding play Sunday based on tourney standings.

On Friday, Waterloo won its ninth straight game by the score of 43-37 at Civic Memorial. Max Oswald, a 6-foot-5 senior, led the ‘Dogs with 15 points. Tyler DeVilder added 10 points. Alex Stell contributed 15 rebounds and six blocked shots. Waterloo won 57-41 Monday at Jerseyville.

Last Tuesday, Stell had 28 points and 22 rebounds in a 58-36 victory at Freeburg. 

Stell leads Waterloo this season at 22.1 points, 14.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. He’s shooting 81.4 percent from the free throw line. 

Oswald is averaging 10.4 points and six rebounds per contest.

Columbia opens the holiday tourney with two games Friday. The Eagles play at 12:30 p.m. against Civic Memorial, then at 5 p.m. against Riverview Gardens. On Saturday, the Eagles face Seckman at 5 p.m. Columbia hopes to be playing for the tourney title Sunday evening in Freeburg.

On Friday, the Eagles dropped a 53-43 contest at Breese Central. Sam Donald poured in 21 points for Columbia. 

Last Tuesday, Columbia won 64-51 at Roxana behind 19 points from River Randall. Donald added 13 points. 

Donald, a 6-foot-8 senior, leads the Eagles at 17.2 points and seven rebounds per game on the season. 

Randall is averaging 11 points per game and is shooting 41 percent from three-point range. 

The Eagles are still waiting for the debut of Vianney transfer Eddie Smajic, a 6-foot-6 junior who has been recovering from a knee surgery. 

Gibault (2-7) will be playing in the 63rd annual Mater Dei Christmas Tournament in Breese this holiday season. 

The Hawks open the tourney by taking on the host Knights at 7 p.m. Thursday, then face Metro East Lutheran at 12:30 p.m. Friday. Pool play takes place Saturday, with the tourney concluding Sunday. 

Gibault lost 55-47 at Father McGivney on Saturday, getting 15 points from Ryan Biffar, 12 points from long-range shooter Jack Holston, and a 10-point, 10-rebound effort from Jai Lavington. 

On Friday, Gibault suffered a 59-50 defeat at home against Mater Dei. Colby Kincheloe scored 22 points, and Holston contributed 14 points.

Biffar leads the Hawks in scoring this season at 10.7 points per contest. Holston is averaging 9.3 points per game and is shooting 47 percent from three-point range.

Valmeyer (3-6) and Dupo (0-6) are both playing in the Piasa Christmas Tournament this weekend.

Valmeyer opens that tourney at 12:30 p.m. Friday against SIUE Charter, then battles Piasa Southwestern at 5 p.m. Friday. The Pirates take on rival Dupo at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Valmeyer picked up a much-needed 42-26 victory Thursday at Mt. Olive. Aiden Crossin scored 19 points and had five steals. Landon Roy added 14 points and six steals for the Pirates.

Crossin is averaging 14.7 points per game on the season. Roy is averaging 14.4 points per game.

Dupo (0-6) takes on Piasa Southwestern at 11 a.m. Friday, then faces SIUE Charter at 3:30 p.m. Friday prior to Saturday’s showdown with Valmeyer.

On Friday, the Tigers lost 65-38 at New Athens. Kaden Scheppelman scored 11 points, and Tramar Bean added 10 points for Dupo. 

The Tigers are aiming for their first win since Jan. 5, 2023, which is a streak of 44 straight losses.