It’s time for local high school boys basketball teams to hoop it up this Thanksgiving holiday, with multiple teams taking the court for the first time this season. 

Waterloo is playing in the Redbird Tip-Off Tournament at Alton High School. The Bulldogs lost to Alton on Monday night, 65-50, then topped Jennings on Wednesday, 71-41.

The tourney continues for Waterloo with a 2 p.m. Friday contest against Lift For Life JV before concluding Saturday with a game based on pool play record.

The Bulldogs will host Wesclin for their home opener this coming Tuesday. 

Top returning players for Waterloo include 6-foot-10 junior Alex Stell and senior guard Caleb Yochum. 

Columbia is playing in the Wesclin Thanksgiving Tournament. The Eagles opened with a win over Christ Our Rock Lutheran on Monday, 59-44. Sam Donald led the Eagles with 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Brody Landgraf added 22 points.

Columbia took on Mater Dei on Tuesday night, pulling out a 65-54 victory. Donald dominated with 36 points for the Eagles. For photos from the game, click here.

The Eagles faces Nashville at 7:30 p.m. Friday, then competes against Wesclin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. 

Columbia returns 6-foot-8 junior Donald, 6-foot-4 junior Brady Hemminghaus and 6-foot-5 sophomore Landgraf, among others, from last year’s squad that went 28-5. 

Gibault is opening its 2023-24 campaign in the Roxana Tournament. 

The defending Class 1A state champions topped Jerseyville on Monday, 42-39. Kanen Augustine and Gavin Kesler each scored 16 points.

The Hawks then faced Roxana on Wednesday, falling 36-34. Gibault plays Civic Memorial on Friday.  

While multiple key components of last year’s title winning Hawks are gone due to graduation – plus senior Hudson Blank transferred to Merritt Island High School in Florida – top returning players are senior point guard Augustine and senior inside scorer Kesler (15.5 points per game last season).

Valmeyer opened its season Wednesday at Red Bud with a 68-58 loss. Aiden Crossin led the Pirates with 20 points.  

Key returning players for the Pirates include 6-foot-1 juniors Crossen and Landon Roy, along with 6-foot-4 sophomore Luke Blackwell. He averaged nearly 11 rebounds per game last season.