To say the least, the 2021-22 high school basketball season was an outstanding one for teams from Moose Jaw and area.
And if everything goes according to plan, the tip-off of the new campaign on Tuesday night will mark the beginning of another wildly successful run for local teams.
A total of three teams will take the court in the Moose Jaw High Schools Athletic Association boys league, while five teams will play in the girls loop.
While the number of teams might be down, expect things in the boys league to be exceptionally close between the Central Cyclones, Peacock Toilers and Vanier Vikings all season.
That’s especially true if things are remotely as solid as they were for the three teams last year.
Central ended up winning both the city championship and 4A boys provincial title and had Peacock with them every step of the way -- taking a 75-64 win over the Toilers in the city final and then battling to an 84-76 win over Peacock in the provincial gold medal game.
Vanier, meanwhile, came within a single win of making it three teams from Moose Jaw at 4A boys Hoopla before falling in their regional final to eventual fourth-place finisher North Battleford John Paul II.
The Vikings and Toilers renew hostilities on Tuesday, Dec. 6 when they open the regular season at 6:20 p.m. at Peacock. Central sees their first regular season action when they take on Peacock on Tuesday, Dec. 13.
The reigning city champion and 4A girls provincial bronze medalist Central Cyclones are joined by Peacock, Vanier, the Lumsden Angels and Assiniboia Rockets in the girls league.
Their season opens on Wednesday, Dec. 7 when Central travels to Assiniboia for a 5:50 p.m. start, while Lumsden travels to Central and Vanier is at Peacock on Dec. 13.
The regular season continues through Thursday, Mar. 2, with the semifinals taking place on Thursday, Mar. 9 and city finals on Tuesday, Mar. 14.
Local tournament dates are also set.
Provincial 2A girls bronze medalists Cornerstone Christian School host the first high school basketball tourney of the season on the Dec. 9 weekend, with the Vanier boys and girls also holding an event that weekend.
The Peacock senior boys tournament goes Dec. 16-17, followed by the Central boys tournament during the Jan. 5 weekend.
Peacock and Central host the largest local girls tournament of the season on Jan, 12-14, followed by Peacock’s tournament Feb. 10-11.
The Ned Andreoni Memorial Tournament is the final hoops tourney of the regular season in Moose Jaw, taking place during the Mar. 3 weekend at Vanier.
