Prairie City/Burnt River’s Wes Voigt takes the ball to the basket during his team’s High Desert League tournament semifinal matchup with Adrian on Feb. 17, 2023, at Grant Union High School.

JOHN DAY — Showcasing some of the best basketball in Oregon’s Class 1A, the High Desert League district basketball tournament will once again make its way to Grant Union High School.

The tournament will take place over the course of three days, from Thursday, Feb. 15, until Saturday, Feb. 17. Three Grant County high schools — Prairie City/Burnt River, Monument/Dayville and Long Creek — will be joined by six other schools, all vying for a district championship as well as a berth in the state tournament.

Prairie City/Burnt River and Monument/Dayville will have both boys and girls teams competing in the tournament, with Long Creek only fielding a boys team for the competition.

The price of admission to the tournament will vary based on the age and number of games attendees are hoping to watch. Prices per session are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and veterans and $4 for students. There are two sessions on Thursday, three on Friday and two on Saturday.

Tournament attendees will also be able to purchase an event pass that will allow them entry into all tournament sessions. Prices for passes are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and veterans and $20 for students.

Girls preview

All eyes will be on the defending High Desert League champion and last year’s state runner-up, Crane. The No. 1-ranked Lady Mustangs are undefeated this season, winning all but one of their games by 30 points or more.

Second-ranked Jordan Valley enters the tournament looking to be the one to knock Crane off the mountaintop. The Jordan Valley girls — also called the Lady Mustangs — are 16-2 this season, with one of their losses a 38-point drubbing at the hands of Crane on Jan. 30.

Prairie City/Burnt River appears to be this year’s dark horse. The Lady Panthers are 11-11 this season but do have a win over 14th-ranked Enterprise along with giving the Jordan Valley one of their more competitive games of the season in a loss.

Dayville/Monument comes into the tournament with a 4-15 record, looking to build momentum and ultimately move on to the state playoffs. The team’s signature win this season was a 41-40 road victory over Spray/Mitchell/Wheeler, which is sporting a 14-7 mark.

Boys preview

Like the girls tournament, all eyes will likely be on defending state champion Crane. The Mustangs have won 18 straight and have a stellar 20-1 record on the season.

The No. 22 Adrian Antelopes come into the tournament as the highest-ranked High Desert League boys team in the state that isn’t Crane. The team’s signature win this season was a 14 point win over 17th ranked Cove back on Jan. 4.

Prairie City/Burnt River has had its ups and downs this season but should be considered a favorite to make the league final if its bracket draw is favorable. The Panthers played Adrian twice this season, earning a split, with both games decided by three points or fewer.

Monument/Dayville enters the tournament looking for offensive consistency. The team is 1-17 on the year, with that lone win coming against High Desert League foe Long Creek back on Jan. 20.

Long Creek is in a unique position as the school is only fielding a boys team in the tournament. The Mountaineers are 5-10 this season, with their signature win coming against Four Rivers on Dec. 29.