HERMANN - The Warriors have their work cut out for them as they aim to repeat as champions at the 40th Annual Hermann Boys Basketball Tournament, which opens play Monday.

Seeded No. 2 last year, they took down Hermann and St. James before toppling top-seeded Montgomery County, 58-48, for their first tourney title since 2003.

But this year Warrenton (4-10) received the No. 7 seed and plays No. 2 St. James in the opening round on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the middle school.

The Tigers, 7-5 overall and winners of four of their last six, are led by 6-foot junior guard Andrew Branson, who averages 20.9 points per game and dumped in a career-high 45 in a win over Dixon last month. Senior Tyler Recker, also a 6-foot guard, averages 13.2 points.

The Warrenton/St. James victor meets the winner between No. 3 Montgomery County and No. 6 Chamois in the semifinals on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the high school. The losers meet at the same time at the middle school for the consolation semis.

In the top half of the bracket, No. 8 Wright City (4-7) squares off against No. 1 Hermann (11-3) on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the high school.

The Wildcats did not fare well when they hosted the Bearcats on Dec. 21, suffering a lopsided 68-38 defeat.

Chet Moeckil, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, scored a career-high 29 points in that game and went seven for 12 from the 3-point line, and 6-4 center Trent Anderson had 14 points for Hermann, whose only setbacks have come against Bowling Green, St. Clair and Washington.

Junior Dillon Seabaugh had a team-high eight points for the Wildcats, who were without 6-3 big man, Bryant Lucio in the December matchup with the Bearcats.

Monday’s Wright City/Hermann winner plays the victor between No. 4 St. Clair and No. 5 New Haven in the semifinals on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the high school, while the losers meet at the same time at the middle school in the consolation semis.

The tournament championship is set for Saturday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m.

LADY WARRIORS AT WASHINGTON TOURNAMENT

Warrenton’s varsity girls basketball team has received the No. 5 seed and takes on Southwest Missouri School and No. 4 Waynesville in the opening round of the Fifth Annual Washington High School Basketball Tournament at 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

The Warriors have a 6-7 overall record while the Tigers are 4-5.

Monday’s Warrenton/Waynesville winner battles the victor between top-seeded Lutheran South and No. 8 Washington in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Wednesday, while the losers meet in the consolation semis at 4 p.m.

The bottom half of the bracket features No. 2 Pacific against No. 7 Ursuline, and No. 3 Holt versus No. 6 Parkway West in the opening round.

The championship is slated for 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25.

In last year’s tournament, Warrenton fell to Washington in the opening round, but rebounded to win the consolation championship, defeating Ursuline and Lutheran South in the title game.

Brett Smith and the No. 7-seeded Warriors open play at the 40th Annual Hermann Tournament against No. 2 St. James on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Warrenton beat Montgomery County in last year's championship game. 

The Wright City Wildcats open the 40th Annual Hermann Tournament against the top-seeded and host Bearcats at 7:30 p.m. on Monday.