Let March Madness Alaska begin.
Saturday marks the start of a bigger state basketball tournament, with the Class 1A division expanding from 16 to 32 teams for the first time and turning what used to be six days of tournament basketball into seven.
West and South High will each host eight games Saturday, four girls and boys games apiece. The winners advance to an eight-team championship bracket and will do battle for a state title Monday through Wednesday at Sullivan Arena, where fan parking will cost $6.
The losers don't have to go home right away, instead forming an eight-team single-elimination consolation bracket. The first two consolation rounds take place Monday and Tuesday at West High, where two boys and girls teams will emerge victorious and earn a Wednesday confrontation at Sullivan Arena.
The Alaska School Activities Association voted to expand the Class 1A tournament because classification restrictions changed this season and increased the number of Class 1A schools in Alaska.
The Class 1A and 2A players will also put their individual talents to the test Sunday in a skills competition at Bartlett High at 5 p.m. Players will compete in a 3-point shooting contest and a new "bump" contest.
March Madness Alaska
ASAA State basketball tournament
Saturday's games
Class 1A
Boys
Defending champion: Newhalen
At West High
8 a.m. -- King Cove vs. Stebbins,
9:45 a.m. -- Toksook Bay vs. Minto,
3:30 p.m. -- Noatak vs. Birchwood Christian
5:15 p.m. -- Aniak vs. Noorvik
At South High
11:30 a.m. -- Golovin vs. New Stuyahok
1:15 p.m. -- Klawock vs. Russian Mission
7 p.m. -- Scammon Bay vs. Alak
8:45 p.m. -- Lumen Christi vs. Yakutat
Girls
Defending champion: Newhalen
At West High
11:30 a.m. -- Shishmaref vs. Koligenak
1:15 p.m. -- Nikolaevsk vs. Yakutat
7 p.m. -- Aniak vs. Noorvik
8:45 p.m. -- Buckland vs. Cook Inlet Academy
At South High
8 a.m. -- Chefornak vs. Huslia
9:45 a.m. -- Newhalen vs. Golovin
3:30 p.m. -- Klawock vs. Mountain Village
5:15 p.m. -- Scammon Bay vs. Alak
Anchorage Daily News