Sesser-Valier is the three-seed in the event and Coach Shane Garner will have his team 'fired up' (as per usual) about hosting and playing in the 40th SVHT.

The Red Devils (4-3) have also faced some good teams, with losses to Christopher, Fairfield and 3A Herrin, who is the top-seed at the Eldorado Holiday Tournament.

The four wins came against Zeigler-Royalton, Edwards County, Johnston City and Webber Township.

Gavin Woodland, a 6-2 senior, is one of the top players for the Red Devils so far this season.

Five-eleven senior 5-11 senior Eli Schoenbaechler and 6-0 junior Gabe Gunter have also played vital roles for S-V.

Blake Menser, a 6-4 junior, 6-1 junior Carson Hoffard and 5-11 junior Colton Payne have been part of the successful start.

Six-foot Colt Packer, 5-10 Wyatt Loucks and 6-1 Braydon Shorts are sophomores who have played for Coach Garner.

Defending champion Goreville (6-3) is the four-seed in the tournament and head Coach Todd Tripp will look to get his team back-to-back titles this week.

The Blackcats went 3-2 to open the season at their own Goreville Invitational Tournament, beating Hardin County (in overtime), Anna-Jonesboro, and Johnston City while dropping decisions to both Hamilton County and Benton.

Following that run Goreville bested Zeigler-Royalton, 2A Harrisburg and 2A West Frankfort on the road before losing to Mounds Meridian, 69-56 at home on December 21.

After losing five seniors last spring to graduation the Blackcats have regrouped behind seniors with experience that returned.

Six-one Dylan Compton, 6-5 Landon Geyman, 6-2 Noel Peas, 6-2 Josh Cahoon and 6-0 Tristan Green.

Six-one junior Ian Sopczak and 6-0 junior Ethan Lingle, along with sophomores 5-11 Drake Moss, 5-11 Tyler Suits and 5-9 Evan Holm have all been on the floor for Goreville this winter.

Cobden and head coach Wendell Wheeler are 7-3 on the season so far and seeded fifth.

The Appleknockers lost all three of their games in the season at the Vienna Turkey Tournament in November (Mounds Meridian, Vienna, Massac County) and they were in contention in all three defeats.

The wins have come against Carrier Mills-Stonefort, Eldorado, Mounds Meridian, Marion Agape Christian, Elverado, Dongola and Century.

Tyler Franklin, a 6-5 junior, has played well for Cobden this season so far (18.1 p.p.g.) as has 6-10 senior Elliot Lowndes (21.2 p.p.g.) who is by far the tallest player in the tournament.

Six-six junior Drake Campbell also is a starter for Coach Wheeler.

Seniors Brock Reynolds, Cooper Flamm and Edwin Funes along with junior Brady Bundren have lent a hand this season for Cobden who appear to be a championship contender..

If you are looking for a another potential 'eye opener' to get to the final day, Red Bud and head coach Dane Walter have played a good schedule so far and are sitting at 5-6 heading to the tournament.

The Musketeers have losses to good 2A teams Carterville, DuQuoin, Columbia, Wesclin and Freeburg along with 1A Carlyle.

The Carlyle loss was 56-53 in overtime December 21 on the road.

All of those teams have winning marks so far in 2021-22.

The wins are against Cairo, West Frankfort, Carmi-White County, Chester and Ste. Genevieve (MO.) Valle Catholic.

Coach Walter, in his first season at the school, had a bunch of stats to replace to begin with but he has some talented kids that have stepped forward.

Six-two senior Nic Fehr, 6-2 senior Max Diewald, and 5-10 Logan Cathell all are averaging around nine-points a game for the Musketeers.

Drew Grohmann, a 5-11 junior, and 6-0 sophomore Owen Liefer, have also appeared in all 11-games.

Six-two sophomore Sam Easter and 6-3 junior Devin Hall have also played well for Red Bud as has Trent Sternberg, a 5-10 freshman.

Junior 5-9 guards Nick Gantner and Noah Gantner along with 5-8 junior Ayden Shemwell have also played their parts along with 6-2 senior Easton Lucht.

The seven-seed is Marissa/Coulterville and head coach Scott Wine brings a dangerous team into the event after posting a 6-5 mark against some pretty good teams thus far.

The defeats this season have come to Edwardsville Metro-East Lutheran, Breese Mater Dei and Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran at the Metro-East Turkey Tournament.

The other two losses came to Perryville (MO.) St. Vincent and also Cahokia Conference Kaskaskia Division rival Steeleville, 50-41.

All of the Meteors' defeats came against teams that are above .500 for the season.

The wins were against Lovejoy, Elverado, Dupo, Valmeyer, Lebanon and Glen Carbon Father McGivney.

The top scorer so far for the Meteors has been 5-10 junior guard Chase Hurst.

Garrett Harrell, a 6-5 junior, is second on the scoring list and the top rebounder for Coach Wine.

Other key players include 6-3 senior Caleb Trieb and 6-0 senior Chase Weiss.

Tanner Middendorf, a 5-10 sophomore, has also played minutes.

Johnston City (2-6) is the eight-seed in the event and they will open the SVHT festivities in the first game of the event.

Coach Scott Burzynski saw his club open the season with four-consecutive losses (Benton, Hamilton County, Hardin County, Goreville) before beating Anna-Jonesboro in overtime at the Goreville Invitational Tournament.

Since then they have a win over Zeigler-Royalton and defeats to Sesser-Valier and Vienna.

The Indians have been led by 6-7 junior forward Laith Hoxworth, 6-2 junior Logan Hunter
6-0 junior Connor Mowery and 5-11 senior Heath Neibch.

The Indians first round game will be against the Sparta Bulldogs.

Head coach Jordan Beckley inherited a tough situation but his team has played better of late after a brutal beginning.

The Bulldogs dropped their first four games of the season in the Trico/Murphysboro Tournament to Trico, Steeleville, Carterville and Chester.

The Trico and Chester games were, however, single-digit defeats.

The club broke a long losing streak with a 78-66 victory over Valmeyer.

Three other losses followed to Carlyle, Okawville and Chester for a second time as the Bulldogs sit at 1-7 heading to Sesser-Valier.

Dauntay Meredith, a 5-9 senior guard, has played well so far for the Bulldogs along with 5-11 junior Brayden Henry and 6-3 junior Ethan Willis.

Waltonville and head coach Anthony Lowery have shown improvement this season so far although Covid19 cost the Spartans three games (postponed) and they have just a single win.

The Spartans beat Zeigler-Royalton, 69-46 at the Christopher Turkey Tournament.

The losses are to Webber Township and New Athens, also at Christopher, and have defeats to South Central, Woodlawn and Christopher.

Six-three senior Quinn Gajewski is one of the top players for Coach Lowery.

This mentor also has Nate Ragland, a 5-10 senior, along with 6-1 senior Jordan Reynolds and sophomores Aiden Kretz and Makabe Devor.

Waltonville is also missing three key players; junior Gavin Dressler, sophomore Seth Karnes and freshman Tryton Fassett.

Elverado is back at the SVHT after a hiatus and head coach Daniel Eisenhower has relied heavily on Chase Buser, a 5-8 senior, and Reed Funk, a 6-4 senior.

The Falcons sit at 5-4 on the season so far with wins over Galatia, Dongola, Joppa-Maple Grove, Shawnee and Thompsonville.

The four losses came against Marissa/Coulterville, Crab Orchard, Sandoval, and Cobden.

New Athens has played well this season for head coach Conrad Widdersheim and they carry a four-game winning streak into the tournament.

The Yellow Jackets (7-4) have victories this season over Thompsonville and Waltonville in capturing the consolation title at the Christopher Turkey Tournament, then wins over Valmeyer, Trico, Dupo, Perryville (MO.) and Lebanon.

The losses came to Norris City-Omaha-Enfield, Glen Carbon Father McGivney, Waterloo Gibault and Steeleville.

Six-three junior Gannon Birkner leads the way for NA with 19.5 points a game.

Codey Boone, a 5-11 senior, has chipped in 12.1 a game so far while 6-0 freshman Isaiah Lintker has added seven-points a night.

Gauge Birkner and James Range, both seniors, have also been a part of the successful early run for the Yellow Jackets.

Galatia brings a 3-8 mark to the tournament for head coach Brad Vinyard as the Bearcats will have a tough matchup with Goreville on opening day.

The wins have come against Egyptian and Marion Agape Christian, which got the Bearcats the consolation championship at the Elverado Thanksgiving Tournament, to go with a win at Thompsonville, 48-47 back on December 20th.

The defeats came to Elverado, Gallatin County, Carrier Mills-Stonefort, Vienna, Pope County, Hardin County, Norris City-Omaha-Enfield, and Crab Orchard.

Six-five senior Noah Frailey, 5-11 senior Trevor Hale and 6-0 senior Klayton Wright have been catalysts for the 'Cats.

Thompsonville sits at just 2-7 on the season with both wins coming against Zeigler-Royalton.

Coach Kevin Smith has gotten production from 5-10 senior Brody Rone, 5-9 junior Hayden Lindhorst and 6-1 junior Kade Shelby.

The Tigers have lost to Christopher, New Athens, Pope County, Norris City-Omaha-Enfield, Carrier Mills, Elverado and a one-point loss to rival Galatia before heading to the SVHT.

Zeigler-Royalton and head coach Jimmy Stevens have just a single victory; a 51-48 win over Marion Agape Christian to go with nine-losses.

Wayne City, Waltonville, Thompsonville (twice), Sesser-Valier, Webber Township, Goreville, Johnston City and Trico have defeated the Tornadoes.

Five-eleven senior guard Joe Earl has been a bright spot for Coach Stevens.

Century draws top-seeded Christopher in the first round and head coach Mark Zahm brings a 1-6 club into the event.

The Centurions have a win over Shawnee in the first game of the season which was followed by six-consecutive defeats to Hardin County, West Frankfort, Marion Agape Christian, Egyptian, Carrier Mills-Stonefort and Cobden.

Six-four junior center Jyhrian Neal, 5-11 junior guard Landon Kissner and 5-7 junior guard Conner Skaggs will have to continue to play well for Century to hang around long at the SVHT.