Prep hoops now in full swing

High school basketball fans got a taste last weekend.

This week though, fans of area prep basketball will get the main course.

Last weekend's Native American Classic and various other games kicked off the 20190-2020 high school basketball season, but, this weekend, things will get moved into high gear.

Plenty of local teams will make their season debut at tournaments around the area, including in Fort Benton, Shelby and Dutton-Brady.

Shelby is where the Chinook boys and girls will open their season this week, as the Sugarbeeters play in a tourney made up mainly of Class B schools.

North Star and Big Sandy will both be playing in Dutton-Brady this weekend at the Dutton-Brady tournament, where both boys and girls squads for the Knights and Pioneers will each get two games.

Chester-Joplin-Inverness also makes its season debut this weekend with a pair of games at a preseason event in Cascade. Fort Benton makes its season debut at home with the Fort Benton Tournament.

Turner made its season debut at last weekend's Class C Showcase in Glasgow, while Box Elder and Hays-Lodge Pole tipped off the season last weekend in Great Falls.

All of the District 9C will begin conference play next weekend, which will be the last weekend of games before the Christmas Break.

Rocky Boy has this weekend off after opening the season in Great Falls last weekend, while Harlem will play non-league games against Cut Bank this week.

Of course, it's also a big weekend in Havre as the Havre Blue Ponies make their season debut. The Pony girls are home Friday to take on Laurel while the boys are at Laurel. The Havre boys make their home debut Saturday against defending state champion Billings Central, while the Pony girls get the Rams in Billings.

This weekend's home games are Havre's only games at home before Christmas Break.