BY KEVIN PRICE
kprice@gbtribune.com

Today at the Hoisington Winter Jam, the consolation brackets’ fifth-place games for the boys’ and girls’ high school basketball teams will be decided.
For the girls, Victoria will square off against Ellinwood at 3 p.m.
Victoria lost to Minneapolis in the first round, 54-39, while Ellinwood had the daunting task of challenging the No. 1 seed and No. 10 ranked in Class 1A Division-II in the latest Kansas Basketball Coaches Association poll Quivira Heights.
The Lady Eagles lost, 51-38, advancing the Lady Thunderbirds to a Friday date with Minneapolis.
The second girls game is a matchup against Otis-Bison and Russell at 6:30.
The Lady Cougars dropped its first-round game to La Crosse, 55-43.
Russell, the No. 2 seed entering the tournament, was upset by the home team, Hoisington, 46-43 in overtime on Tuesday night.
The girls’ matches on Friday begin with Quivira Heights and Minneapolis at 3.
Also, La Crosse meets Hoisington at 6:30.
The boys’ games begin with a rematch between Ellinwood and Quivira Heights at 4:45.
The last time these two teams met, on Jan. 4, the Eagles scraped a 43-40 victory.
The Eagles’ first game in the tournament was against No. 1-seeded and No. 2-ranked in 3A Minneapolis. Ellinwood lost 54-33 in the encounter.
The Thunderbirds got their wings clipped by Victoria in a close game on Monday, 64-60, to send them to the consolation bracket.
Thursday’s second boys game is between Otis-Bison and Russell, beginning approximitly at 8:15.
The Cougars were the No. 3 seed entering the tournament, but were knocked off by La Crosse in the first round, 49-37.
The Broncos were corralled by the undefeated Hoisington Cardinals on Tuesday night, 60-37.
Friday’s games see Minneapolis and Victoria contend with each other at 4:45, and La Crosse entertaining Hoisington at 8:15.
At the St. John Lions Club Mid-Winter Boys Classic, tonight begins with Claflin against Larned at 4:45.
Claflin was knocked out of the first round by No. 1 seed and No. 10 in Class 1A Division-I Macksville, 74-39, while Larned lost to St. John, 53-30.
After the first consolation game, the first round of the bracket continues with No. 3 seed Nickerson meeting No. 4 seed Pratt at 6:30.
The 8:15 game features No. 7-seeded Lyons challenging the No. 2 seed Medicine Lodge.