(New Buffalo, MI) - The New Buffalo High School boys’ basketball team is the #1 seed in the District 4 tournament which begins on Thursday.  The Bison (11-3) open the tourney at River Valley High School against Lake Michigan Catholic at 5:30 p.m.

 

New Buffalo defeated the Lakers by 24 points and later 9 points during the regular season.  Head Coach Nate Tripp said he likes his team’s chances of winning the District 4 championship, which New Buffalo won in 2019.  However, Tripp said he’s keeping his players focused strictly on the next game feeling all teams in the tournament are competitive enough this year to win the title.

 

River Valley opens the district tournament against #2 seed Countryside Academy.  The winner of each game will play for the District 4 title on Saturday at 1 p.m.  “Any of those three teams on any given night are an absolute handful,” Tripp said.

 

The Bison on March 19 won their last regular season game at Countryside Academy 74-50 after defeating the Cougars by just six points at home last month.  New Buffalo lost their previous game 60-50 on March 16 at home against Berrien Springs.  The Bison stayed within striking distance for much of the game against the bigger and more athletic Shamrocks.

 

Tripp felt his players could have at least made the game closer with fewer mistakes but really likes the progress his team has made in areas like working the ball and shot selection since the start of the season.  “I think we’re starting to play team basketball and it’s a group of kids who truly like each other,” he said.