With a new calendar comes a heightened sense of urgency among local high school boys basketball squads. 

Gibault (5-10) opened 2026 with a loss at home Saturday evening to a tough Pinckneyville squad, 71-42.

The Hawks had ended 2025 on a positive note, closing out play in the Mater Dei Christmas Tournament last Tuesday with a 61-47 victory over Father McGivney. 

Colby Kincheloe currently leads Gibault in scoring this season at 12.3 points per game. Jack Holston, who excels from long distance, is averaging nearly 10 points per contest. 

The Hawks hosted Wesclin on Tuesday, falling 49-38, travel on Saturday to Civic Memorial, and then play host to local rival Columbia this coming Tuesday. 

After having its nine-game winning streak snapped in overtime at home to Marquette in the Columbia-Freeburg Holiday Tournament last Monday, Columbia (9-4) hoped to start off the new year with a victory Tuesday night at Althoff. The result was a 50-39 defeat..

Eddie Smajic continues to lead the Eagles in scoring this season at 21 points per game. He is shooting 39 percent from three-point range and 83 percent from the free throw line. 

Brody Landgraf is averaging 17.3 points and seven rebounds per contest. 

Columbia is set to host Freeburg on Friday before traveling down Route 3 to take on Gibault this coming Tuesday. 

Waterloo (3-12) is hoping 2026 begins better than 2025 ended. The Bulldogs hosted Carbondale on Tuesday, however, falling 58-46.  

Leading the way in scoring so far this season for Waterloo are Owen Niebruegge (11.6 points per game) and Tyler DeVilder (11 points per game). Kruz Latchem is averaging nine points per game on the strength of 39 percent three-point shooting. 

Valmeyer (5-9) opened the new year with a 70-58 loss at home on Friday to New Athens, which won its 10th game of the season. 

The game was actually tied after three quarters, but New Athens went on a 21-9 fourth quarter run thanks to a strong shooting night from Will Mulholland (19 points) and Sawyer Sullivan (17 points). 

Evan Hill led the way for the Pirates with 19 points, followed by Carter McSchooler with 14 points and 14 rebounds. 

Hill continued to lead Valmeyer in scoring this season at 13.8 points per game. He’s also averaging 2.23 steals per contest. 

McSchooler is averaging 11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. 

Chase Snyder is averaging nine points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.54 steals per game. 

Valmeyer lost 64-38 to Steelville on Tuesday, hosts Lebanon on Friday and plays this Saturday at Father McGivney. 

Dupo (5-6) battled First Baptist Academy for its first contest of the new year  on Tuesday night, hoping to reach the .500 mark for the season. 

The Tigers host McKinley Leadership Academy on Thursday and then travel this coming Tuesday to Bunker Hill. 

Brrayden Esterlein, who was a key senior member of a successful Dupo football team this past fall, currently leads the Tigers hoops squad in scoring at 11.3 points per game.