The Gibault Catholic High School girls basketball team remains undefeated as it hosts its annual Candy Cane Classic this week. 

The Hawks hope to remain without a loss by tourney’s end.

Gibault (10-0) won three games last week, the first being last Wednesday at Red Bud. Kailynne Small poured in 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Hawks to a 43-33 victory. 

On Friday, Gibault won 43-31 over Maryville Christian. This time it was Alma Freixes Sanchez  leading the way with 16 points and six steals. Bri Baldridge added 11 points, seven rebounds and four steals for the Hawks.

On Saturday, Gibault won 48-34 at Wood River. Emma Schmidt scored 16 points and Small contributed seven points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, seven steals and six blocks.

Gibault began its Candy Cane Classic experience Tuesday night against Metro East Lutheran, posting a victory. The Hawks play again Thursday evening against Chester for a berth in Saturday’s tourney final.

The tourney concludes Saturday afternoon. 

Columbia (6-3) opened Candy Cane Classic play Monday night with a 76-24 win over Valmeyer.

Karsen Jany scored 20 points and had five steals to pace the Eagles. Jordan Holten added 15 points and 11 rebounds and Sam Schmuke scored 13 points to go along with five steals. 

Columbia will take on Waterloo JV this Wednesday night. Waterloo opened with a tourney win over New Athens. 

Jany leads the Eagles at 17 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game this season.

Holten is averaging 13.5 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Valmeyer (2-5) was led by Brooke Miller’s 12 points in Monday’s loss to Columbia. 

The Pirates also lost Thursday at Marissa, 52-23, shooting just 14.6 percent from the floor in the process.

Valmeyer takes on New Athens at the Candy Cane Classic on Wednesday night, then plays Thursday at Steeleville and Monday at Dupo. 

Miller is averaging 12.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game this season. 

Dupo (5-3) lost 50-25 at Sparta on Monday. 

The Tigers played Tuesday at Steeleville and host New Athens on Thursday before hosting the Pirates on Monday. 

Waterloo (5-5) suffered three recent losses. 

On Saturday, the Bulldogs dropped a 58-32 contest against a tough Dunlap team at the Southern Illinois Shootout in Belleville. 

Norah Gum led Waterloo with 17 points and 13 rebounds. 

On Thursday, the Bulldogs lost to Mississippi Valley Conference foe Mascoutah to the tune of 62-54. Waterloo was outscored 33-18 in the second half. 

Gum again led the way for Waterloo with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Liv Colson added 10 points and six steals.

Sam Lindhorst, Waterloo’s senior point guard, recently became the program’s career assists leader at 229. That surpasses the previous school record of 227 assists set by Callie Settles.

Lindhorst, who has committed to playing hoops at Lincoln Land Community College upon her graduation this spring, is already the program’s career steals leader at 202. The previous record holder in that category was Lauren Stirnaman with 130 steals.

On Tuesday night, the Bulldogs lost 68-38 at home to O’Fallon. Waterloo hosts Civic Memorial on Thursday.