The District 11 6A basketball tournament kicks off this week Whitehall boys team will be part of the action.

Freedom (12-10) entered as the eighth-seed and hosted ninth seeded Nazareth (11-11) on Tuesday night in one of two pigtail rounds.

Allen (13-9) and Pleasant Valley (11-11) were the other pigtail in a seven-ten showdown.

With Freedom being in a pigtail, that means the winner of that contest will have to take on top-seeded and EPC champion, Northampton (17-8), in Friday’s quarterfinal round.

The other matchup in the top half of the bracket features fourth seeded Whitehall (18-6) taking on fifth seeded Pocono Mountain East (17-6).

Back on Jan. 3, the Zephs defeated PME 65-51 at home and will look to do the same and move on. PME had won four of its final five games of the regular season before getting edged by Liberty in the opening round of the EPC playoffs.

The Zephs, meanwhile, were 3-2 over their last five games before upsetting Parkland in the opening round of the EPC playoffs. The Zephs then fell to top-seed Pocono West in OT before West lost to Northampton in the finals, also in overtime.

Liberty (19-5) opens play on Friday against Parkland (14-9) in a three-six matchup, while Pocono Mountain West (22-3) is the second seed and awaits the winner of Pleasant Valley and Allen.

Semifinals are slated for next Wednesday with the championship slated for Saturday March 1.

The top four teams in 6A advance to the PIAA playoffs, which means advancing to the semifinals is the golden ticket to the state tournament.

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In 6A, all the action starts on Friday in the quarterfinals with top-seeded Emmaus (24-1) leading the way against eighth seeded Northampton (10-12).

Parkland (16-8) and Stroudsburg (18-5) are in a four-five matchup.

The other side of the bracket features second seeded Easton (18-5) hosting seventh seeded Dieruff (15-7), while Liberty (16-7) enters as the third seed and takes on sixth seeded Nazareth (15-9).

Semifinals are next Tuesday with finals and consolation finals taking place on Friday, February 28. The top three teams in 6A move on to the state tournament.