The chase is on: East Idaho sending 16 teams to the state championships

It’s going to be a busy weekend for girls basketball in the Boise area as the chase for state championships gets underway.

Sixteen east Idaho teams are headed west to play in Idaho’s Big Dance.

District 5 and 6 combined for three No. 1 seeds with Pocatello the top seed in 5A, Sugar-Salem the top seed in 4A, and Malad topping 3A.

Tournaments begin Thursday with championship games set for Saturday at the Idaho Center in Nampa.

Here are Thursday’s opening-day matchups.

6A at the Idaho Center

No. 6 Madison vs. No. 3 Eagle, noon
No. 7 Rigby vs. No. 2 Boise, 2 p.m.

5A at Mountain View HS

No. 1 Pocatello vs. No. 8 Bishop Kelly, 5 p.m.
No. 4 Blackfoot vs. No. 5 Skyline, 7 p.m.

4A at Middleton HS

No. 3 South Fremont vs. No. 6 Fruitland, noon
No. 2 Bear Lake vs. No. 7 McCall Donnelly, 2 p.m.
No. 1 Sugar-Salem vs. No. 8 Gooding, 5 p.m.

3A at Bishop Kelly HS

No. 7 Soda Springs vs. No. 2 Parma, 2 p.m.
No. 1 Malad vs. No. 8 North Fremont, 5 p.m.
No. 5 Ririe vs. No. 4 Grangeville, 7 p.m.

2A at Columbia HS

No. 4 Butte County vs. No. 5 Lapwai, 7 p.m.

1A at Nampa HS

No. 3 Rockland vs. No. 6 Challis, noon
No. 7 Mackay vs. No. 2 Carey, 2 p.m.

Note: Look for team previews this week at eastidahonews.com/sports.