Altus will be a basketball haven this week. Thirty six high school and college games will be played within the city limits.

On the schedule are the popular Tri County and Clester Harrington Shortgrass tournaments.

Sandwiched in between are four games involving Altus High School and Western Oklahoma State College. The Altus teams will host Clinton on Tuesday with girls’ game at 6:30 p.m. and the boys’ contest at 8 p.m. On Wednesday the Western men and women will host Murray State in a 6 and 8 p.m. doubleheader.

Tri County begins Monday

Hollis, Granite, Hobart, Mangum, Snyder, Sayre and Navajo and Cordell gather this week at Western Oklahoma State College for the 22 game Tri County Tournament.

Cordell (11-1) and ranked 11th in Class 2A is the favorite to win the girls side of the tourney.

The Lady Blue Devils should get some stiff competition from Mangum (10-5), Snyder (10-5) and Navajo 12-3.

Hollis, ranked 17th in Class A gets the favorites nod on the boys side of the bracket.

It begins on Monday when the Cordell and Granite girls play at 4 p.m. The other girls game has Hobart meeting Snyder at 6:40 p.m. Boys games are at 5:20 p.m. when Navajo goes against Cordell and at 8 p.m. with Mangum and Hobart squaring off.

First round play continues on Tuesday at 4 p.m. with Navajo playing Mangum. The other girls game will be at 6:40 p.m. when Sayre plays Hollis.

The boys games that day will have Hollis playing Granite at 5:20 p.m. and Snyder meeting Sayre at 8 p.m.

The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday with consolation games slated for Friday.

Six games are on tap for Saturday with the girls’ final set for 6:20 p.m. and boys’ final for 7:40 p.m.

Clester Harrington

Shortgrass Tournament begins Thursday.

The 41st annual tournament promises to be a good one with a balanced field.

Oklahoma City Centennial, the two time defending state champion and the top ranked team in Class 3A is in the field. Defending champion, Lawton Eisenhower, rated 7th in Class 6A and Lawton MacArthur, ranked fifth in 5A will be strong contenders for the title. Two home schools Dallas HSAA, who recently had an impressive win over highly regarded Midwest City Carl Albert, and Houston HCYA, last year’s runner up could also challenge. Altus, ranked 19th and Chickasha, 17th in Class 5A plus Duncan round out the field.

The first game tips off at Cletus B. Street Fieldhouse at 3:30 p.m. Kevin Harrington’s MacArthur Highlanders will face Chickasha in that one. The second game has Bruce Harrington’s Lawton Eisenhower Eagles going against Duncan. At 6:30 p.m. Houston HCYA and Dallas HSAA play. The final game has the Altus High Bulldogs playing Centennial.

Consolation games are slated for 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Friday. Semifinals are set for 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. also Friday.

Four games are slated for Saturday with the championship game scheduled for 5:30 p.m.