The season couldn’t have started better for the Gibault boys basketball team, which downed local rivals Waterloo and Valmeyer in the inaugural Waterloo-Gibault Thanksgiving Tournament.

The Hawks opened their 2021-22 campaign with a 52-41 victory at Waterloo on Friday night. 

The Bulldogs, feeding off an enthusiastic home crowd, jumped out to a 14-6 first quarter lead. 

But Gibault settled in and went on a second quarter run to seize control of the game. The Hawks led 28-21 at halftime.

Neither team could hit from long distance, as Waterloo went 1-of-9 and Gibault went 2-of-9 from three-point range.

The Hawks did well defensively and made the most of their opportunities at the free-throw line. 

Gibault went 16-of-22 from the charity stripe while Waterloo was 4-of-6.

The Hawks were led by Kaden Augustine with 14 points, followed by Kameron Hanvey with 13 points and Owen Scherff with 10 points. 

Leading the way for Waterloo was Ty Lenhardt with 14 points. Ian Schrader added 11 points.

Gibault followed Friday’s rivalry win with another one over Valmeyer on Saturday, 78-35.

The Hawks led this one 43-15 at halftime and won the turnover battle for the game, 21-5.

Gibault shot 47.4 percent from the floor and was 17-of-21 from the free-throw line.

Hanvey poured in 19 points and had four steals. Augustine added 16 points (including four three-pointers) and Jude Green came through with 11 points and 17 rebounds.

Valmeyer was led by Jordan McSchooler, who scored 13 points.

The Hawks continued tourney play with a 62-33 win against Litchfield on Tuesday to go 3-0. Augustine scored 17 points and Hanvey turned in 10 points, seven assists and eight steals. Gibault shot 54.8 percent from the floor – including 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.

Gibault hosts Freeburg on Thursday to conclude tourney play before hosting New Athens this coming Tuesday.

Waterloo opened its tourney schedule with a 73-52 win over Litchfield last Tuesday. 

Lenhardt, a senior, scored a career-high 36 points to lead the Bulldogs. He also had five rebounds and five assists and went 12-of-13 from the free-throw line. 

Making his varsity debut, 6-foot-7 freshman Alex Stell scored 10 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. 

Waterloo shot 59 percent from the floor in the win, which was the first for new head coach Allen Siedle.

Waterloo hosted Freeburg in tourney play Tuesday night, falling 58-39, and will conclude tourney play Thursday at Gibault against Valmeyer. 

The Bulldogs open Mississippi Valley Conference play Friday night at home against Triad.

Columbia is off to a 3-2 start this season following a successful showing at the Wesclin Tip-Off Classic.

On Saturday, the Eagles downed the host Warriors by the score of 51-37. Columbia outscored Wesclin 30-14 in the second half and shot 57.6 percent from the floor for the game.

Dylan Murphy, a 6-foot-5 junior, scored 14 points and pulled down six rebounds to pace Columbia. Jack Steckler added 13 points and Glenn Powers scored 10 points.

On Friday, Columbia dropped a 58-40 contest to a tough Mascoutah squad. The Eagles led 14-8 after the first quarter, but it was all Indians after that.

Sam Donald, a 6-foot-6 freshman, led the Eagles with 12 points and six rebounds.

Last Wednesday, Columbia posted a 48-41 win over Nashville. The Eagles led 27-17 at halftime and held on from there.

Murphy again led the Eagles with 15 points and eight rebounds. Powers added 10 points.

The Eagles opened tourney play with a convincing 71-31 victory over Staunton last Tuesday. 

Murphy poured in 27 points, including five three-pointers, and Donald scored 10 points in his varsity debut.

Columbia hosted Triad on Tuesday, falling 61-56. The Knights went on a 20-5 third quarter run after the Eagles went up 29-19 at halftime. Jack Steckler led Columbia with 17 points.

Columbia hosts Wood River this Friday night and hosts Red Bud on Tuesday.

Prior to Saturday’s loss to Gibault, Valmeyer (0-3) dropped an 84-55 match to Litchfield on Friday. The Pirates committed 30 turnovers in the loss.

Vincent Oggero led Valmeyer with 15 points. 

The Pirates opened tourney play with a 78-32 loss to Freeburg last Tuesday. Valmeyer was outrebounded 49-21 and shot just 20 percent from the floor.

Harry Miller scored 12 points to lead Valmeyer, which hosts New Athens on Friday.

Dupo (0-4) dropped games against Lovejoy, Mt. Vernon, Christ Our Rock Lutheran and Lift For Life last week at the Metro East Lutheran Turkey Tip-Off Tournament. 

Nate Ticer scored 16 points and Chase Mantz scored 14 points in Friday’s loss to Lovejoy. 

The Tigers play next Wednesday at Grandview.