Benton teams ready for holiday tournaments

Benton High School's boys and girls teams will participate in post-Christmas holiday tournaments next week.
The girls will host their annual Rangerette Classic, beginning Thursday and continuing through Saturday; while the boys will travel to Pinckneyville for the 12th annual Duster Thomas Hoops Classic.
Top-ranked (2A) Harrisburg is the defending champions of the Rangerette Classic and will be the favorite again this year. The Lady Bulldogs are in Pool A, which includes Hamilton County and Union County, Ky.
Benton is in Pool D, which includes Meridian and Vienna. The 12-team field also includes Herrin, Mt. Vernon and Pinckneyville in Pool B and Carterville, Christopher and Marion in Pool C.
First day action begins at 9 a.m. In the East Gym, Marion takes on Christopher, followed by the host Rangerettes and Meridian at 10:30 a.m. At 1:30 p.m., Christopher faces Carterville, at 3 it's Vienna and Meridian, Union County and Harrisburg tip off at 6 p.m. and Mt. Vernon versus Herrin in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap.
At Rich Herrin Gym, the Lady Bulldogs face Hamilton County at 9 a.m., Herrin and Pinckneyville tip off at 10:30 a.m., Hamilton County vs. Union County at 1:30 p.m., Pinckneyville vs. Mt. Vernon at 3 p.m., Carterville and Marion tangle at 6 p.m. and the Rangerettes will take on Vienna at 7:30 p.m.
Third place pool winners will play at 3 and 4:30 p.m. Friday in the East Gym, the second place pool winners at 3 and 4:30 p.m. in Rich Herrin Gym and the first place pool winners at 6 and 7:30 p.m.
Seventh through first place winners will start at 3 p.m. Saturday with the championship game scheduled at 7:30 p.m.
Tiebreakers will be determined by head-to-head competition, point differential and free throw percentage, information states.
Benton will be the No. 4 seed in Pinckneyville. The Rangers will kick the tournament off on Thursday with a 9 a.m. against Roxana. If the Rangers win, they will play the winner of the Jerseyville (5) and Du Quoin contest at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
Olney got the top seed in the tournament and will play Trigg County (Ky.) at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. Cissna Park is the No. 2 seed and will play Elverado at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
Remaining Thursday games pit Union County (3) against Greenville at noon; Chester (7) versus Salem at 5 p.m., Steeleville (6) plays Wesclin at 6:30 p.m. and host Pinckneyville (3) hosts Trico in the 8 p.m. nightcap.
Semi-final games will be played at noon and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, the consolation championship is at 3:30 p.m. and the championship game will be at 8 p.m.
The Rangers are the defending champions of the Thomas Hoops Classic.