By MARK JURGENA
ADVOCATE SPORTS STAFF
The mid-winter basketball tourney season is finished and the race for conference crowns is upon us. Let’s look at the week that was in tourney play.
Boys tournaments:
At Litchfield, Triad beat conference rival Bethalto (Civic Memorial) 58-40 for the crown.
The 71st Salem Invitational saw East St. Louis beat Mt. Vernon 49-44 in the championship. That game came one night after Mt. Vernon became the 10th US boys basketball team to win 2,000 basketball games with a 50-40 win over Carbondale.
At West Frankfort, Centralia moved to 17-4 after beating Herrin 41-37 to win the title. Herrin is now 19-2.
Nashville won their own 40th Invitational 44-38 over Breese Central while Freeburg won the 58th annual Sparta Mid-Winter Classic 66-45 over Steeleville.
At the 104th Macoupin County Tournament in Bunker Hill, Piasa Southwestern beat Virden (North Mac) 38-36 after a three-quarter court shot by the Panthers was waved off.
Columbia won the Okawville Tournament 59-48 over Trenton (Wesclin).
Pinckneyville beat the host school to win the Benton Tourney 51-46.
Belleville East beat Belleville West to take the title at their own Chick-Fil-A Classic by a 57-52 count. SIUE recruit Jordan Pickett had 37 points.
Girls tournaments:
Mascoutah won the Vandalia tournament 50-39 over Effingham.
At Highland, Alton beat Okawville 54-38. The Redbirds are undefeated at 23-0 and have a huge Southwestern Conference matchup Thursday night at 21-4 O’Fallon.
The Macoupin County tourney saw Staunton beat Gillespie 62-55.