Selection Saturday always is intriguing in Louisville and once again produced some intriguing first-round matchups in the Sixth and Seventh Region boys and girls basketball tournaments.

Perhaps the most intriguing matchups came in the Seventh Region boys tournament, where a pair of rivalry games are set in Tuesday’s quarterfinals — Male at Manual and Ballard at Trinity.

Manual rolled past Male 70-46 on Feb. 16. Trinity knocked off Ballard 63-59 on Feb. 7.

The Sixth and Seventh Region girls tournaments will tip off Monday with district champions hosting quarterfinals. Semifinals and finals will be played at Valley High School.

The Sixth and Seventh Region boys tournaments will tip off Tuesday with district champions hosting quarterfinals. Valley will host the semifinals and finals.

Here’s a look at the winners and the losers from the draws:

Sixth Region boys

Winner: Evangel Christian is the favorite and drew on the opposite side of the bracket from top contenders DeSales and Fairdale.

Loser: Jeffersontown is peaking at the right time but will face a tough road to a third straight regional title. The Chargers will face Butler in their opener and dropped a 54-51 decision to the Bears on Dec. 21. Get past that game and J’town could face Evangel Christian in the semifinals.

Seventh Region boys

Winner: St. Xavier’s magical season continued during the draw, as the Tigers drew on the opposite side of the bracket from Trinity, Manual, Male and Ballard.

Loser: Male is seeking its third straight trip to the Sweet 16 but will have to get past Manual and the Ballard-Trinity winner just to reach the final.

Sixth Region girls

Winner: Drawing on the opposite side of Butler could give Bullitt East a clear path to the championship game.

Loser: Mercy probably was hoping for a first-round matchup with Pleasure Ridge Park or North Bullitt but instead drew favorite Butler in Monday’s quarterfinals.

Seventh Region girls

Winner: No. 1-ranked Sacred Heart won’t have to face Assumption or Manual until the final.

Loser: Christian Academy could have faced Central, Seneca or Male in the quarterfinals and got the toughest of all in Central.

Who will make KHSAA Sweet 16 fields? Predictions for boys and girls state tournaments

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA basketball regional tournament 2024: 6th and 7th Region analysis