Ready or not, the high school hoops season is upon us. Judging by the early results, some local squads look more ready for success this winter than others.

Gibault, Valmeyer and Dupo all competed at the Metro-East Lutheran Thanksgiving Tip-Off Classic, which concluded Saturday. 

Gibault (3-1) closed out its tourney play with a 54-52 win over Christ Our Rock Lutheran on Saturday. Max Kostelac led the Hawks with 17 points and 13 rebounds. 

On Friday, a Kostelac putback gave the Hawks the lead in the final minute and they held on to win, 56-53, over Litchfield. Kostelac led the way again with 14 points. 

Gibault picked up its first win of the season last Wednesday, 66-40, over Dupo. Will Simonton scored 18 points to lead the Hawks.

Gibault lost its tourney opener last Monday, 55-51, to Odin. The Hawks shot just 3-for-16 from three-point range and 4-for-15 from the free-throw line.

The Hawks host New Athens this coming Tuesday night.

Valmeyer went 2-2 in the tourney, including a 58-51 victory Saturday over Brussels. The game was tied after three quarters. Philip Reinhardt scored 20 and Riley McCarthy scored 19 to lead the Pirates.

On Friday, Valmeyer won 73-57 over Piasa Southwestern. Reinhardt scored 24 and Jacob Rowold added 17 points.

Valmeyer dropped a 55-54 contest to Wood River last Wednesday. The Pirates, led by Rowold’s 22 points, shot just 29 percent from the floor.

The Pirates, play at Lebanon this Tuesday, opened tourney play with a 73-53 loss to Roxana last Tuesday. 

Dupo (0-4) lost 37-34 to Piasa Southwestern on Saturday and lost 44-33 to Brussels on Friday following losses to Lift For Life and Gibault to start the tourney. 

Tyler Touchette is tops on the Tigers in scoring so far this season at nearly 13 points per game.

Dupo hosts New Athens this Friday night. 

Columbia and Waterloo are playing in the Mascoutah Tip-Off Classic. 

Columbia (1-1) opened with a 56-23 to Nashville last Monday. The Eagles shot just 27.6 percent from the floor and 1-for-15 from three-point range. 

On Monday, the Eagles picked up a 53-44 win over Mascoutah. It marked the first victory for new head coach Brooks Demijan.

The Eagles, led by a monster game from Jackson Holmes (26 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks), led 38-23 after three quarters. Jacob O’Connor added 12 points, nine rebounds and four steals.

Columbia continues tourney play Wednesday night with a rivalry showdown against Waterloo.

The Bulldogs (0-3) lost 68-20 to Mascoutah to open tourney play last Monday night. Waterloo shot 5-for-34 (14.7 percent) from the floor and just 1-for-14 from three-point range. 

Ian Schrader scored nine points for Waterloo, which also lost 47-19 to Nashville last Tuesday. 

On Monday, the Bulldogs nearly picked up their first win but came up just short to Wesclin, 44-42. Ty Lenhardt led the way with 15 points and seven rebounds for Waterloo.