The AVCTL/GWAL Challenge is back at WSU. Here is the basketball tournament’s schedule
It’s coming home.
Last year, the AVCTL/GWAL Challenge was hosted at each suburban school after scheduling conflicts with the challenge’s regular venue, Wichita State’s Koch Arena.
After a year away, the challenge is coming back to Koch. And the 2019 edition features some high-profile games. Here is the schedule:
The final game featues the boys teams of Maize and Wichita Northwest. Last year, Maize went undefeated in the regular season before finishing third at the Class 5A state tournament. But the Eagles lost more seniors than potentially anyone in Kansas.
Northwest is on the rise under second-year coach Andy Hill, an alumnus of Northwest.
Friday’s nightcap could be the best matchup on the challenge’s schedule.
The two most recent Class 5A boys state champions will be in action as Andover Central faces Bishop Carroll. Last year, it seemed Maize and Carroll were on a collision course in the final. Instead, Central and Basehor-Linwood took their places.
Both teams lost a lot of senior leadership, but both bring back a lot of All-Metro-caliber talent, including Andover Central’s Xavier Bell, who was named to the Eagle’s Top 5 team.
Potentially the best girls basketball game in the Wichita area could come in the final girls game of the challenge.
Last year, Heights douced Maize’s state title hopes in the Class 5A sub-state championship. The Falcons went on to state but lost in the first round. Both teams bring back enough talent to contend again for a title in 2019.
The final boys’ game could be just as good.
Wichita Southeast beat Campus in its Class 6A sub-state championship game last year and finished third at state as the Colts watched on.
Southeast returns to Koch for the first time since taking third as Campus will be eager to get another crack at the Buffaloes.