By DOUG DONNELLY

District basketball week has arrived for the Whiteford girls basketball team.

The Bobcats will take on Erie Mason tonight to get the lid lifted on the 2023-24 post-season.

Here’s a preview:

Blissfield (20-2) and Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (18-4) are on opposite sides of the bracket.

On Monday, Erie Mason (9-13) plays Whiteford (12-9). The winner gets to play Blissfield at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. SMCC faces Clinton (13-8) in the second game.

“We’re playing our best basketball right now,” Blissfield coach Ryan Gilbert said. “We just need to rely on our experience from here on out.”

The most experienced player for the Royals is Avery Collins. A four-year starter, she will be playing in her 90th game Wednesday.

The Royals are the No. 1 seed, but Gilbert isn’t taking anything for granted.

“I think Whiteford is playing some sneaky good basketball,” he said. “Whatever their head coach is doing over there has them playing some good basketball. Josh Sweigert (Erie Mason coach) always has his girls ready. Clinton is on a roll and SMCC is always a tough out come tournament time.”

The Royals, he said are playing their best basketball of the season. They have won 14 straight.

“At this point, it’s about playing your best when your best is needed,” Gilbert said. “We have to rely on our leaders to make plays at crunch time.”

Whiteford coach Nick Brillhart said the district is tough from top to bottom.

“The winner of this district will definitely have earned it,” he said. “This is the healthiest we’ve been in a month, so I’m hoping we are able to put together our best basketball of the season. It will be a challenging environment and a tough, familiar opponent.”

Whiteford’s last district title came in 1991.