Regular-season area play is about to conclude for local basketball teams and the coveted postseason will be getting under way in a couple weeks.

Monday will see the last bit of area play before each team has a little more than a week prior to the start of their respective area tournaments.

Girls play their area tournaments on Feb. 3, 6 and 8, while the boys play on Feb. 4, 7 and 10. Typically, teams will four teams in their area play on the final two days, while those with more than four, need to play the third day.

The winner and runner up from each area advance to play in the sub-regional, which will be held Feb. 13-14 for girls and boys, respectively. Area winners host and runner ups travel.

After the sub-regional round, the winners go on to play in the South Regional at the Dothan Civic Center in Dothan. The regional tournament will be held Feb. 18-22.

While there, teams will have to win two games to advance to play in the Final 48 Championships at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex Arena in the Magic City.

The state finals are Feb. 25 through March 1.

Each tournament is single elimination.

Why, you might ask, am I telling you all of this?

It’s a simple answer — this is go time for our local basketball teams.

The postseason in basketball is probably the most exciting time for a sports editor like me to be covering your son or daughter on the hardwood.

Like March Madness, you never know what can happen during any given game, so players, please, play your hardest and remember to play your game.

Make this postseason — those who manage to make it far enough — one that you’ll remember for the rest of your lives.

You never know when you’ll have the next chance to make it back to the playoffs again.

For me, I’m the luckiest person because I’ll be doing the best I can to help record those memories.