If you like high school basketball, is the only place to be.

The state basketball tournament began on Monday with nine area teams participating and for tonight’s second round, just three remain and all three will play at Pasquotank.

The night begins with familiar foes Northeastern and Pasquotank squaring off for the fourth time this season in a second-round 2A girls game, followed by the Panthers’ boys hosting Beddingfield.

Pasquotank knows a little about Beddingfield as the two met in last year’s 2A tournament first round with the Bruins taking a 60-50 win. Coach Ray Burnham is hoping a year’s experience will make up the difference.

“(Jacqaun) Respass, Naqan (Gant) and Kyle (Odum) they were the young guys on the team last year,” Pasquotank coach Ray Burnham said. “We are more seasoned this year as far a handing the ball as far as not making as many turnovers as before.”

The girls’ teams, however, know much more about each other.

“Again? I think I’ve said everything I need to say about Pasquotank already,” Northeastern coach Pat Thornton joked.

Tonight’s game will be the fourth time the two have met this season. Northeastern won two of the previous three games, including a 65-50 win in last week’s Northeastern Coastal Conference tournament final. According to Thornton, that does not give her team any kind of advantage.

“Sometimes I think the team that lost last has the advantage because they have the fire now and the team that wins sometimes get a little overconfident,” said Thornton, whose team almost did not make the rematch, surviving a last-second shot in a 57-55 win over Bertie on Monday. it of doubt that we won’t.”

Following Monday’s 62-49 first-round win over Richlands, Pasquotank coach Janie Cofield was not going to talk about revenge.

“I just hope my team comes in focused and ready to play hard,” Cofield said.