The Gibault and Columbia boys basketball teams are enjoying success on the court so far this winter, while other local squads are still trying to get into a groove.

Gibault (15-3) won four recent games. 

On Monday, the Hawks opened Chester Invitational Tournament play with a 73-56 victory over Valmeyer. Gibault takes on Saxony Lutheran at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the tourney, which continues through Saturday night. Kaden Augustine scored 22 and Kameron Hanvey scored 20 in Monday’s win.

On Saturday, Gibault won 73-53 at home over Civic Memorial. The Hawks shot 57 percent from the floor as a team, led by Gavin Kesler with 26 points and four steals and Hanvey with 18 points and three steals.

On Friday, Gibault posted a 53-39 win at home over Steeleville. The Hawks trailed 14-13 after the first quarter but turned it on from there. Four Gibault players scored in double digits, led by Augustine with 15, Kesler with 12 and both Hanvey and Owen Mechler with 11 points.

Last Tuesday, Gibault won 49-47 at Wesclin. Kesler made the game-winning basket for the Hawks just ahead of the buzzer. He scored 12 points, as did Hanvey. Augustine led the team with 15 points.

Augustine is the scoring leader this season for Gibault at 16.3 points per game, including 42 percent from three-point range. Kesler is averaging 15 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest.

Columbia (16-2) has won eight straight games and shows no signs of slowing down. 

On Friday, the Eagles won 50-31 at Freeburg. Jack Steckler led with 15 points, Dylan Murphy added 14 points and Sam Donald contributed eight points, six rebounds and six blocks.

Last Tuesday, Columbia shot 66 percent from the floor in a 62-58 win at home over Highland. Donald, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, poured in 30 points. Murphy added 15 points.

Murphy leads the team in scoring this season at 19.4 points per game, including nearly 48 percent shooting from three-point range.

Columbia hosted Vandalia Tuesday night, winning 58-26. Donald led the way with 18 points and four blocks. Columbia hosts Wood River this Friday night and hosts Cahokia at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Waterloo (5-11) dropped a pair of recent games but picked up a win Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs lost 53-29 at home to Mount Vernon on Saturday and lost 51-45 at home to Highland on Friday.

On Friday, Waterloo trailed the visiting Bulldogs of red and black by the score of 16-6 but battled back to make it a close affair. Waterloo outrebounded Highland, 23-17. Wyatt Fink scored 19 points and Alex Stell added 15 points and eight rebounds for Waterloo in Friday’s loss.

Waterloo hosted Steeleville Tuesday night, winning 53-44.

The Bulldogs host Triad this Friday and will battle Vianney at Althoff at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Waterloo competes next week in the annual Sparta Mid-Winter Classic, starting 8:30 p.m. Wednesday against Freeburg.

Stell, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 14.4 points per game and in rebounding at 10.3 per game.

Valmeyer (4-9) got 20 points from Harry Miller in Monday’s loss to Gibault at the Chester Invitational Tournament. Luke Blackwell added nine points and 18 rebounds.

The Pirates continue tourney play 6 p.m. Wednesday against Lovejoy.

On Friday, Valmeyer posted a 58-26 victory at home over Lebanon. The Pirates went on a 24-2 run in the second quarter to pull away, led by Miller again with 30 points. 

Landon Roy also turned in a good game with 18 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Last Tuesday, Valmeyer dropped a 59-50 contest to Father McGivney despite 29 points from Miller.

Miller is averaging nearly 22 points per game this season for Valmeyer, which plays Monday at Grandview.

Dupo (3-8) won 39-38 at home over Lebanon on Thursday. Trey Chadduck was the high-point man for the Tigers with 16 points to go along with six rebounds.

Last Tuesday, Dupo lost 50-41 to O’Fallon Frist Baptist. Jorri Kelling scored 15 points and Deegan Prater added 10 points in the loss.

On Tuesday, the Tigers lost 75-22 at Carlyle.

Dupo hosts Marissa this Friday night.