February Madness!

It's that time of the year again when high school basketball tournaments are as common around the state of Montana, as stop lights are on 10th Avenue South here in Great Falls. While I'm not a major fan of the NBA, I have to admit, I love both college and prep hoops. Maybe it's because they still play the game the way James Naismith invented it by playing with a team concept in mind.

Here in Great Falls, we wrap up the first round of Class C tournaments with the 8C District at Paris Gibson. Last night, we were treated, in my opinion, to one of the best shows in America. In the boys district tournament, top seeded Highwood squared off against fourth seeded Belt. Both teams battled back and forth the entire game, and of course, it came down to a game winning shot by Tyler Snyder with 2 seconds left.

Football may be over, but that's okay, because basketball has refreshed those of us who call ourselves sports fans. For the next three weeks here in the Electric City, we can look forward to seeing some of the best prep athletes in the state. Of course the Northern Division C tournament tips off next week at the Four Seasons Arena, and in two weeks, Great Falls will host the Class AA state tournament. All I can say is, I hope you enjoy basketball, because we're in for quite a show here in Montana. That's why I call it, February Madness!