Elida’s boys are looking for a third consecutive title in the EPAC tournament this week, although Tigers coach Darrell Chenault isn’t going out on a limb.

“We’re going for one win at a time,” said Chenault, whose team has gone from a 3-point shooting squad to more of an inside-oriented team this season after losing three starters to graduation. “I know all five teams in our district (District 3-1A, which forms Group 3) are good enough to beat anybody, and a couple of teams up North (Group 4) can beat anybody too.”

The annual 10-school event begins today with eight games on tap at Floyd. The four No. 1 seeds — Elida boys and Dora girls in Group 3, and Texico boys and girls in Group 4 — earn first-round byes.

Floyd will host games through Thursday before the final two days will be played at Eastern New Mexico University’s Greyhound Arena in Portales. The girls title game is set for 6 p.m. and the boys final for 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Despite playing a different style, Chenault said the Tigers (10-2) have fared well to this point in the season.

“We’re not the same team we were last year; we’re bigger and more physical,” Chenault said. “We’re senior-dominated again. We have six seniors and four of them start.”

Texico’s girls have won two of the last three EPAC titles and six of the last 11, including a four-year run from 1998-2001.

First-year Lady Wolverines coach Ryan Autrey has seen his team tested in three tournaments this year, including Clovis’ Plateau Holiday Classic last week in which they finished fourth.

“Going in, it’s going to be a new look for us at a lot of these teams,” Autrey said. “Elida is always tough; they play hard every time they step on the floor. We’re on the same side of the bracket, so we could end up seeing them somewhere down the road.”

He said the challenging early schedule should pay off.

“This is just another tournament we’re playing in,” Autrey said. “Hopefully, we can come out of it better that when we go in.”

Texico (9-4), Elida (10-2) and Fort Sumner (5-4) have combined to win 12 of the last 13 girls EPAC titles, with the Lady Tigers winning five titles and the Vixens three. Grady was the 2004 tournament champion.

EPAC tournament
Boys
Group 3 seedings: 1. Elida 10-2; 2. Fort Sumner 6-3; 3. Floyd 9-3; 4. Dora 6-3; 5. Melrose 3-5.
Group 4 seedings: 1. Texico 8-1; 2. House 6-5; 3. Grady 5-5; 4. San Jon 5-7; 5. Logan 3-5.
Tuesday
At Floyd
Game 2 — Melrose vs. San Jon, 4:45 p.m., old gym
Game 4 — Floyd vs. House, 8:15 p.m., old gym
Game 6 — Grady vs. Fort Sumner, 8:15 p.m., new gym
Game 8 — Logan vs. Dora, 4:45 p.m., new gym
Wednesday
At Floyd
Game 10 — Texico vs. Logan-Dora winner, 4:45 p.m., old gym
Game 12 — Melrose-San Jon winner vs. Elida, 6:30 p.m., new gym
Thursday
At Floyd
Game 14 — Floyd-House loser vs. Melrose-San Jon loser, 4:45 p.m., new gym
Game 16 — Logan-Dora loser vs. Grady-Fort Sumner loser, 6:30 p.m., old gym
Friday
At Greyhound Arena, Portales
Game 18 — Game 12 loser vs. Game 10 loser (5th place), 10:45 a.m.
Game 20 — Game 12 winner vs. Game 6 winner (semifinals), 4:45 p.m.
Game 22 — Game 4 winner vs. Game 10 winner (semifinals), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
At Greyhound Arena, Portales
Game 24 — Game 16 loser vs. Game 14 loser (9th place), 9 a.m.
Game 26 — Game 16 winner vs. Game 14 winner (7th place), 12:30 p.m.
Game 28 — Game 22 loser vs. Game 20 loser (3rd place), 4 p.m.
Game 30 — Game 22 winner vs. Game 20 winner (championship), 8 p.m.

Girls
Group 3 seedings: 1. Dora 6-1; 2. Elida 10-2; 3. Floyd 9-4; 4. Fort Sumner 5-4; 5. Melrose 1-7.
Group 4 seedings: 1. Texico 9-4; 2. Grady 4-7; 3. San Jon 4-8; 4. Logan 2-6; 5. House 0-8.
Tuesday
At Floyd
Game 1 — Melrose vs. Logan, 3:05 p.m., old gym
Game 3 — Floyd vs. Grady, 6:30 p.m., old gym
Game 5 — San Jon vs. Elida, 6:30 p.m., new gym
Game 7 — House vs. Fort Sumner, 3:05 p.m., new gym
Wednesday
At Floyd
Game 9 — Melrose-Logan winner vs. Dora, 4:45 p.m., new gym
Game 11 — Texico vs. House-Fort Sumner winner, 6:30 p.m., old gym
Thursday
At Floyd
Game 13 — Floyd-Grady loser vs. Melrose-Logan loser, 4:45 p.m., old gym
Game 15 — House-Fort Sumner loser vs. San Jon-Elida loser, 6:30 p.m., new gym
Friday
At Greyhound Arena, Portales
Game 17 — Game 11 loser vs. Game 9 loser (5th place), 9 a.m.
Game 19 — Game 15 loser vs. Game 13 loser (9th place), 12:30 p.m.
Game 21 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 9 winner (semifinals), 2:45 p.m.
Game 23 — Game 11 winner vs. Game 5 winner (semifinals), 5:45 p.m.
Saturday
At Greyhound Arena, Portales
Game 25 — Game 15 winner vs. Game 13 winner (7th place), 10:45 a.m.
Game 27 — Game 23 loser vs. Game 21 loser (3rd place), 2:15 p.m.
Game 29 — Game 23 winner vs. Game 21 winner (championship), 6 p.m.
Note: Most tournament games will be broadcast over KSEL-FM 105.9, KRMQ-FM 101.5 or KSMX-FM 107.5.