Which Texas boys basketball districts are this season's toughest?

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With the calendar change to 2017, the holiday tournaments are over and it becomes time for UIL boys basketball teams to focus on district play.

Here are a few of this season's most challenging districts in the six classifications:

CLASS 6A
District 7: This district produced the state champion last year with DeSoto. Cedar Hill (15-4), Duncanville (14-4) and South Grand Prairie have all either won a state title or played in a state title game in the last two decades.
Game to watch: Cedar Hill at DeSoto Jan. 24.

District 18: Houston Math, Science & Technology along with Bellaire are coming off playoff seasons a year ago and have records of 22-1 and 16-6, respectively. Lamar (Houston) figures to be in the mix.
Game to watch: Bellaire vs. Houston Math Science & Tech (Houston) Jan. 31.

District 25: Westlake advanced to the Region II title game a year ago, but neither Vista Ridge (Cedar Park) nor Lake Travis (Austin) is conceding the title. Westlake and Lake Travis are 15-6 and Vista Ridge is 14-5.
Game to watch: Westlake (Austin) at Vista Ridge (Cedar Park) Feb. 14.

District 6: Guyer and Allen are 14-3 and 16-3 respectively. Plano West won the 2014-15 state crown and cannot be counted out.
Game to watch: Guyer (Denton) at Allen (Allen) Jan. 27. District 16: Rivals Spring Dekaney and Spring Westfield appear to be the class of this district. Dekaney went 14-4 in the 2016 portion of its schedule and Westfield was 15-6.
Game to watch: Dekaney (Houston) at Westfield (Houston) Feb. 14.


CLASS 5A
District 10: Graduation hit defending state champion Lancaster hard, but the Tigers are still formidable. Chasing Lancaster (12-6) in a wide open district are Midlothian (15-3) and Mansfield Timberview (Arlington) (14-5).
Game to watch: Lancaster at Midlothian Jan. 20.

District 23: Fort Bend Elkins (Missouri City) and Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City) are expected to fight it out for the title in this nine-team league. Elkins is 14-5, Marshall is 16-5 and Texas City is another contender at 14-5. Because of the large number of teams in the league, some teams have already played five district games.
Game to watch: Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City) at Fort Bend Elkins (Missouri City) Feb. 3.

District 1: The big three in this district are El Paso schools Bowie (15-4), Burges (14-2) and Andress (12-6). All three are off to 2-0 starts in league play. Burges and Bowie tied for the district crown last year with 14-2 marks. Game to watch: Burges (El Paso) at Bowie (El Paso) Feb. 10.

CLASS 4A
District 10: Defending state champion Lincoln is off to a 14-5 start. Carter and Pinkston (Dallas) have some impressive wins on their resumes.
Game to watch: Lincoln (Dallas) at Carter (Dallas) Jan. 18.

District 2: Lamesa, Levelland and Estacado (Lubbock) appear well-matched for an interesting title chase. Lamesa owns a 16-2 record, Levelland is 15-3 and Estacado is 11-7, having played much of its non-district schedule against larger classification teams.
Game to watch: Estacado (Lubbock) at Lamesa Jan. 20.

District 6: High scoring Burkburnett is 14-3 and a sure-fire title contender, but Hirschi and Graham cannot be overlooked.
Game to watch: Burkburnett at Hirschi (Wichita Falls) Jan. 20.

District 26: Brazosport has played the best so far with a 16-2 record. But Wharton and El Campo are both 12-6 and Bay City is riding a four-game winning streak.
Game to watch: Brazosport (Freeport) at Wharton Jan. 17.

District 9: Argyle is flying high at 17-2 but Decatur is a threat with a 14-6 record.
Game to watch: Argyle at Decatur Jan. 13.

CLASS 3A
District 7: Brock (12-8), 2014-15 state champion, should get a challenge from Peaster (11-4). Cisco(13-7) could figure into the mix.
Game to watch: Brock at Peaster Feb. 3.

District 11: An 8-9 record against salty competition tends to mask the strength of Madison. But it does not fool district foe Triple A Academy.
Game to watch: Madison (Dallas) at Triple A Academy (Dallas) Feb. 14.

District 27: Randolph and Marion could fight it out to the end. Randolph is 13-2 and Marion is 13-5.
Game to watch: Randolph (Universal City) at Marion Feb. 10.

CLASS 2A
District 22: Three powerful East Texas teams call this district home -- Tenaha (14-1), Shelbyville (14-3) and San Augustine (8-7).
Game to watch: Tenaha at Shelbyville Feb. 3.

District 25: Mumford has rolled to a 19-2 start but cannot afford to overlook Thorndale (12-6).
Game to watch: Mumford at Thorndale Jan. 24.

District 9: Electra (13-3) and Petrolia (14-4) appear primed for a tight finish.
Game to watch: Electra at Petrolia Jan. 24.

Class 1A
District 18: Lipan is 18-1 and playing as well as anybody in the classification. But Lingleville (11-4) has also impressed thus far.
Game to watch: Lipan at Lingleville Jan. 20.

District 6: New Home (16-2) appears to be the favorite, but 10-2 Ropes (Ropesville) and Meadow (5-3) should make for a competitive district.
Game to watch: New Home at Meadow Jan. 20.

District 14: With Garden City, Veribest and Bronte, this district race should prove most interesting.
Game to watch: Bronte at Garden City Jan. 27.