February 25, 2023
By Fred Liggett
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If the seeds hold in this year’s Class 6, District 6 boys and girls basketball tournaments it will look a lot like 2022 again. Both the boys defending champion, LS West Titans, and the girls returning champion, Truman, are the #1 seeds going into the weeklong event.
The boys tourney finds the defending district champion LS West Titans as the favorite. All three LSR7 teams will be playing in this district event being played at William Chrisman. Four first round games are set for Wednesday, Mar. 1 with the Titans playing Ray-Pec to tip things off at 4 p.m. Host William Chrisman meets LS North next in a #4 vs #5 seed game at 5:30 p.m. The night games finds #2 seed Raytown facing Rockhurst then its third seeded Truman up against sixth seed Lee’s Summit at 8:30 p.m. to wrap up the day. A pair of semifinal round games will be played on Friday, Mar. 3 with the district final set for Monday, Mar. 6 at 7 p.m.
LS West head coach Michael Schieber feels the eight team event is “a wide open field.” Schieber knows his Titans “must play our best basketball, a lot of pride these teams have.” The Titans, already Gold Conference champions, now have the task to repeat as district champions. Schieber says “a different mindset” this year as his team has a bullseye on them unlike last year at the tourney in Belton. Schieber reminds fans that “we are all guaranteed one game, we have got to play well.”
Lee’s Summit North is host to the eight team girls tournament that begins on Thursday, Mar. 2. Defending district tourney champion Truman opens up the event by playing their rival William Chrisman. Then its host LS North playing Raytown South at 5 p.m. The Broncos are the fifth seed. Number two seed Raytown plays Ray-Pec at 6:30 p.m. The opening round concludes with another rivalry game between #3 seed LS West and #6 seed Lee’s Summit at 8 p.m. A pair of semifinal round games are next on Saturday, Mar. 4 at 4 and 5:30 p.m. A district title game is set for Tuesday, Mar. 7 at 7 p.m.
The third seeded LS West Titans enter the district tourney as Gold Conference champions. This accomplishment according to Head Coach Jared Broughton “is special.” Broughton adds, “Our schedule has been strenuous and tested our girls.” The eight team field in the district tourney is “tough overall” Coach Broughton says. Broughton feels the top two seeds “Truman and Raytown have had good years.” Broughton is quick to bring up that “the top four seeds are all conference champions.” Broughton admits, “Everything is a battle, you got to be prepared.”
