Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – The Arcata Tigers are the defending Dick Niclai boys tournament champions.

By Ray Hamill — Get ready for what is arguably the most exciting week annually in local high school sports.

The 2025 Dick Niclai basketball tournaments will tip off in nine days, with six of the nine varsity programs qualifying in girls and boys brackets.

Going into the final week of the regular season, all six of the tournament berths allotted to the Big 5 have been finalized, but just two of the six Little 4 berths are official, meaning there’s still plenty to play for.

None of the top seeds have been officially decided yet.

The boys tournament tips off on Monday, Feb. 10, with matchups between the Little 4 and Big 5 Nos. 2 and 3 seeds.

The higher seeds will host those games.

The girls action begins the following hight, with the same round of matchups.

All first-round matchups are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

The No 1 seeds in both tournaments, which go to the Little 4 and Big 5 champions — or the winner of a playoff game in the case of a tie for the championship — all receive an opening-round bye and will begin tournament play in the semifinal rounds.

Those games, as usual, will be played at College of the Redwoods on Wednesday (boys) and Thursday (girls), and big crowds are expected for all four games.

The semifinal rounds sees the top seeds from the Little 4 face off against the winner of the Big 5 Nos. 2 versus 3 matchups at 6 p.m. on both nights, followed by the top seeds from the Big 5 facing off against the winner of the Little 4 Nos. 2 versus 3 games at 7:30 p.m.

Game times for the Monday through Thursday matchups are subject to change to accommodate teams that travel longer distances (Hoopa, South Fork and Del Norte).

Both championship games will be held at Cal Poly Humboldt’s Lumberjack Arena on Friday, Feb. 14.

The Eureka Loggers have won the past four Dick Niclai girls tournaments.

The girls final will take place at 6 p.m., followed by the boys championship game at 7:30.

According to the H-DNL, doors for spectators and teams in the semifinals and championship games will open at 5 p.m.

For the first-round and semifinal games, only H-DNL, North Coast Section and CIF Passes will be allowed (no school passes) and admission prices will be the same as regular season games.

For the championship games, admission prices are $10, with children 5 and under free, and only NCS and CIF passes allowed.

Higher seeds are the home team for all games.

If there are ties that require playoff games, they will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8 (boys) or Monday, Feb. 10 (girls).

The Eureka Loggers are four-time defending girls Dick Niclai tournament champions after defeating St. Bernard’s in an exciting championship game last year, while the Arcata Tigers are the defending boys champions, also defeating St. Bernard’s in last year’s decider.