LIVINGSTON-With back-to-back conference victories last week, both the Clay County High School girls and boys basketball teams improved their postseason seeding heading into next week’s District 7-A Tournament to be held here at Livingston Academy.

The Lady Bulldogs ran their league record to 5-3 and locked in a #2 seed with wins over Clarkrange and Gordonsville, while the Bulldogs seemed poised to the replicate the feat with their own 5-3 conference mark after taking down the same two schools (see related story).

The Clay County boys’ seeding was dependent on the outcome of the final regular-season district contest Tuesday night between Pickett County (7-0) and Gordonsville (4-3).

The Bobcats had the #1 seed in the bag, but the Tigers could’ve tied the Dawgs at 5-3 with a win over Pickett County.

A Gordonsville win would give them the tiebreaker over Clay County and the #2 seed, due to the fact the victory would’ve come over the higher-seeded Bobcats, who swept the Dawgs in the regular season.

No matter the outcome of the final conference game, the Clay County boys will open the postseason playing the Tigers in the District 7-A Tournament semifinals next Friday, February 21 as either the #2 or #3 seed.

The other boys game that night will feature the top-seeded Bobcats versus the winner of the play-in game between #4 seed Clarkrange (3-5) and #5 seed Red Boiling Springs (0-8).

As the #2 seed, like their male counterparts, the Lady Dawgs will also begin tournament action in the conference semifinals versus #3 seed Clarkrange (4-4) on Thursday, February 20, while #1 seed Pickett County will take on the girls play-in game winner between #5 seed Red Boiling Springs (0-8) and #4 seed Gordonsville the same night.

The Tigerettes were 3-4 in the league heading into their Tuesday night matchup with the Lady Bobcats (7-0) and two of their four losses came at the hands of the Lady Buffaloes, so beating Pickett County would not have improved their seeding due to Clarkrange’s head-to-head advantage.

Prior to the District 7-A semifinals next Thursday and Friday, both the girls and boys play-in games will be held here next Tuesday.

See full details on the upcoming conference tournament in this year’s District 7-A Tournament Digest inside next week’s edition of the HORIZON.