The Columbia, Waterloo, Gibault and Valmeyer girls basketball teams will get a chance to see how they stack up against each other during the annual Candy Cane Classic at Gibault Catholic High School next week.

The tournament begins Monday and continues through Saturday, Dec. 17. To view and print a bracket of the classic match-ups, click here.

Columbia enters the tourney with the best record at 6-1. The Eagles topped Wesclin on Thursday, 67-44, and won at Red Bud on Monday, 44-36.

Madelyne Juenger has led the team in scoring this season, averaging 14 points per game. She scored 17 points with seven rebounds and four blocks against Wesclin and added 12 points against Red Bud.

Other contributing to Columbia’s success this season are Sophia Bonaldi, Courtney Weilbacher and Whitney Edwards.

Bonaldi scored 12 points in the Wesclin win. Weilbacher added 11 points against Wesclin and eight points against Red Bud. Edwards also scored eight points against Red Bud and has been the team’s leading rebounder.

The Eagles face a tough test prior to the Candy Cane Classic, however. They play at Breese Central on Thursday in a key Cahokia Conference clash.

Columbia opens Candy Cane Classic play against Wood River at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Waterloo improved to 3-3 on the season with a 49-35 victory over Mascoutah on Monday. The Bulldogs led 19-7 after one quarter and never looked back.

Kat Finnerty led the way with 13 points and 17 rebounds. Mollie Zeisset added 11 points and six rebounds.

On Thursday, the Bulldogs dropped a 60-37 contest at Civic Memorial. Taylor Augustine led the way for Waterloo with 16 points.

Finnerty is averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds per game to lead Waterloo this season. Augustine and Sydney Luedeman are averaging 7.5 and 7.3 points per game, respectively.

Waterloo plays at Highland on Thursday before opening Candy Cane Classic play at 6 p.m. Monday against Valmeyer.

Valmeyer (1-4) suffered two losses last week, falling to New Athens and Lebanon.

Blair Brady was a bright spot for the Pirates in the 65-18 loss to New Athens, scoring eight points with two steals.

Valmeyer was outscored 27-0 in the first quarter of their loss to Lebanon.

Valmeyer plays Thursday at Marissa before tourney play begins.

Gibault is 4-4 on the season as it gets set to host its annual holiday tourney.

The Hawks lost at New Athens on Thursday, 51-36, but kept the game close until the Yellow Jackets pulled away in the fourth quarter. Morgan Ladyman led the way with eight points.

On Saturday, Gibault cruised past Marissa at home, 46-20. Ashlyn Wightman led the way with 17 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. Mary Wessel added 13 points.

On Monday, Gibault lost on a last-second shot to Madison, 57-55. Cat Deterding scored 24 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for the Hawks. Wightman added 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Deterding is averaging 11.5 points per game this season.

Gibault plays at Red Bud on Wednesday and at Metro-East Lutheran on Thursday prior to its tourney opener at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday against Roxana.