By MIKE MARSEE

Contributing Writer

The Danville girls and the Lincoln County boys are the No. 1 seeds for next week’s 45th District Tournament.

The two defending champions lead the fields in their respective brackets for the tournament, which begins Monday.

Lincoln will host the tournament.. Garrard County was scheduled to host but will instead host the 2024 district tourney after water damage forced the replacement of its home court at Garrard Middle School.

Garrard will host one of the two boys first-round games Monday, playing Kentucky School for the Deaf in its auxiliary gymnasium at Garrard County High School. All other boys and girls games will be at Lincoln’s J.C. Eddelman Gymnasium.

The Danville girls, who are seeking their fourth consecutive district title, swept their eight regular-season district games to finish with a two-game lead in the district standings.

The Lincoln boys, who have won four straight titles, received the No. 1 seed after winning a tiebreaker with Boyle County. Both Lincoln and Boyle were 6-2 in regular-season district games, and they split their two games with each other.

There are six teams in the boys tournament, as KSD returns to postseason competition for the first time in three years. The girls bracket remains at five teams; KSD did not field a girls team this season.

The district winners and runners-up will advance to the 12th Region Tournament. The girls regional is expected to begin Feb. 27 at Pulaski County; the boys regional is expected to begin March 1 at Lincoln.

Sweet 16 pairings

Pairings were drawn Wednesday for the Girls Sweet 16 and Boys Sweet 16.

The girls 12th Region champion will play the 10th Region winner in a first-round game March 8.

The boys 12th Region champion will play the 4th Region winner in a first-round game March 15.

Both state tournaments are at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Game times are to be determined.

45th District Tournament

BOYS

First Round

Monday, Feb. 20

Kentucky School for the Deaf (6; 1-11, N/A) at Garrard County (3; 12-16, 3-5), 7:30 p.m.

Danville Christian (4; 13-13, 3-5) vs. Danville (5; 18-10, 2-6) at Lincoln County, 7:30 p.m.

At Lincoln County

Semifinals

Wednesday, Feb. 22

Lincoln County (1; 19-9, 6-2) vs. DCA-Danville winner, 6 p.m.

Boyle County (2; 13-13, 6-2) vs. Garrard County-KSD winner, 7:30 p.m.

Championship

Friday, Feb. 24

Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

GIRLS

At Lincoln County

First Round

Monday, Feb. 20

Lincoln County (4; 10-16, 2-6) vs. Garrard County (5; 3-23, 0-8), 6 p.m.

Semifinals

Tuesday, Feb. 21

Danville (1; 25-2, 8-0) vs. Lincoln County-Garrard County winner, 6 p.m.

Danville Christian (2; 18-5, 6-2) vs. Boyle County (3; 14-14, 4-4), 7:30 p.m.

Championship

Thursday, Feb. 23

Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

(Seeds, overall records and district records through Wednesday’s games in parentheses.)