With representatives from the Pioneer League, Tri-Valley League and the Three Rivers League, the slate of opponents for the 2026 War on 54 Basketball Tournament will not disappoint.
The tournament, which starts Monday, features 12 area boys and girls teams from Iola, Anderson County, Crest, Eureka, Humboldt and Cherryvale split into two three-team pools with games taking place inside Iola High School and Iola Elementary School.
The Iola boys join Humboldt and Crest in pool B. Anderson County, Cherryville and Eureka represent pool A.
In the girls bracket, Humboldt will compete in pool A, along with Anderson County and Eureka. Cherryvale joins Iola and Crest in pool B.
This year’s tournament is not lacking for heavy hitters. On the boys’ end, Crest comes into the contest on a seven game win streak while the Lady Lancers are also 7-1.
The Eureka girls also come into the tournament undefeated at 7-0 and will put their unblemished record on the line in the tournament’s opener.
The girls begin the action at 5 p.m. Monday at Iola High with the Anderson County Bulldogs taking on the Eureka Tornados.
The boys follow at 6:30 p.m.
At Iola Elementary School, the Crest Lady Lancers will take on Cherryvale at 5 p.m.
And the Humboldt boys will face Crest in the 6:30 p.m. finale.
Tuesday, the Mustangs get into the action while hosting Cherryvale in the 5 p.m. girls game at Iola High School followed by the IHS boys playing Crest in the 6:30 p.m. finale.
Over at Iola Elementary School, the Humboldt Lady Cubs face Anderson County.
Cherryvale’s boys play Eureka in the finale.
No games will be played Wednesday.
The action heats back up Thursday as Crest takes on Iola at Iola High for the girls.
The Cubs and Mustangs boys go head-to-head after the girls. At Iola Elementary, the Lady Cubs play Eureka at 5 p.m., followed by the boys finale featuring Anderson County and Eureka.
