Several scheduling changes will mark the 2001 version of the Eastern Maine basketball tournaments.

The opening day of the Classes B-C-D tournament (Friday, Feb. 16) will now feature four Class B quarterfinal games instead of two, and two Class D games will be moved from the first Monday of the tournament (Feb. 19) to the first Saturday (Feb. 17).

Moving the two Class D games to Saturday means Monday will have three sessions with two games apiece.

On the Class A side, the first Saturday of the tournament (March 3) will have three two-game sessions instead of two three-game sessions.

Tournament director Bill Fletcher said the changes represent a move away from three-game sessions and may make it easier to move fans in and out of the Bangor Auditorium, especially during the Class A tournament.

“In three-game sessions, sometimes you get a lot of people who stay for the third game and you have trouble getting one group into the bleachers and another group out. And you have a crowd up in the lobby,” Fletcher said.

Scheduling two Class D games on Saturday also gives those teams from smaller schools another chance to play at night – their only other opportunity to do so comes in the semifinal round.

“This gives us a chance to showcase them more,” Fletcher said.

Basketball also features an open tourney this season, but opening-round games will be played at the higher seeds before the quarterfinals move to the Auditorium.

Hoop tournaments on tap

The University of Maine at Machias and Calais High School will each host a preseason high school basketball tournament over Thanksgiving weekend.

The Worcester Wreath Holiday Classic will be held at UMM Nov. 24-25 with the opening game at 3:30 p.m. Boys teams expected to participate are East Grand of Danforth, Jonesport-Beals, Sumner of East Sullivan, and Washington Academy of East Machias. Girls teams from Narraguagus of Harrington, Shead of Eastport, Washington Academy, and St. Stephen, New Brunswick, will attend.

The Calais Federal Savings and Loan Lady Blue Devil Invitational, which will feature girls teams from Calais, Woodland, Jay, and Dirigo of Dixfield, along with Canadian teams, tips off Nov. 24 at noon. In a possible Class C state championship preview, Dirigo will face Calais in the final game of the tournament Nov. 25 at 5:30 p.m.