The girls basketball teams from Huron and Manchester high schools play tonight for a chance to reach the Elite Eight of their respective MHSAA tournaments.

Huron takes on Canton, the No. 5-ranked team in Class A, at 7 p.m. at Pioneer High School. Manchester plays Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in a Class C regional final at 7 p.m. at Quincy High School.

AnnArbor.com staff takes a closer look at each of the games:

Who: Huron (21-3) vs. Canton (22-1) What: Class A girls basketball regional final Where: Pioneer High School When: 7 p.m. tonight Why: To advance to a March 16 quarterfinal at Davison High School against the winner of tonight’s Midland Dow-Flushing game.

Athleticism is one thing the Huron High School girls basketball team can count on seeing from Canton in tonight’s Class A regional finals, which tips off at 7 p.m. at Pioneer High School.

The Chiefs, who beat Hartland 58-34 in Tuesday’s semifinals, are led by junior post players -- and twin sisters -- Kari and Sara Schmitt. Kari Schmitt averages nearly 14 points and 10 rebounds per game and Sara Schmitt averages eight points and four rebounds. Additionally, Kayla Bridges — the team’s third-leading scorer — gives the Chiefs a spark off the bench.

More: PlymouthCantonSports.com's coverage of Canton's semifinal win over Hartland

What the Schmitts lack in size in the post, they make up for in toughness. Both have committed to play hockey at Ohio State University.

In that same all-around-athlete vein, Canton’s Melanie Pickert has committed to play soccer at Iowa and CarolAnn Sexuar will play softball for Central Michigan.

And to say this batch of non-basketball college-bound athletes make up a pretty good hoops team is an understatement. Canton boasts a 22-1 overall record and was ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press regular season poll.

Huron coach Steve Vinson is well aware.

“I’ve seen Canton play a couple times. It’s going to be a tough test,” said Vinson, whose team comes off a 48-37 semifinal win over North Farmington, a win that taught the River Rats a few playoff lessons.

“We learned that you have to play tough and physical,” Vinson said. “The further along you go, the better the players. The bigger, the faster and the stronger.”

Huron certainly flexed strength, size and speed in its win over the Raiders Tuesday. The River Rats displayed an efficient outside game - hitting six three-pointers - and found the seams inside for a slew of layups, especially in the second half, and trips to the foul line, where the Rats hit 10-of-14.

“I think we learned the right mentality that we have to come out and play with,” said Vinson, “which is to have composure, play tough and play strong.”

Who: Manchester (14-8) vs. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (12-11) What: Class C girls basketball regional final Where: Quincy High School When: 7 p.m. tonight Why: To advance to a March 16 quarterfinal at Vicksburg High School against the winner of tonight’s Niles Brandywine-Bangor game.

Stephanie Ball felt like she let her team down in a Class C district championship game.

The Manchester High School senior point guard - the player coach Cori Kastel most wants on the floor late in games, handling the ball and shooting free throws - fouled out with three minutes left in a close game against Napoleon.

The Flying Dutchmen survived against Napoleon and Ball redeemed herself in Tuesday’s regional semifinal win over Addison. She scored a game-high 16 points, doled out five assists and outworked bigger players with her 5-foot-3 frame to pull down 12 rebounds.

Those two games define the season so far for Manchester, which plays Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in a regional championship game at 7 p.m. tonight at Quincy High School.

More: MonroeNews.com's coverage of St. Mary's semifinal win over Jonesville

The Flying Dutchmen are an interesting mix of veterans - like Ball, a four-year varsity player - and youngsters ready to step up and become leaders when they’re called upon. Freshmen McKenna Erkfritz and Taylor Manders have earned starting spots on a team that includes three other three-year varsity players.

“We have great mentors,” Kastel said. “I think what Stephanie and Tracy (Schaible) have taught our young players is that we’re all going to make mistakes, it’s how we respond to mistakes that matters.”

Schaible, another four-year varsity player, suffered a season-ending knee injury in January and has taken on the role of player-coach.

“It’s not where I want her, but she’s doing what she can do,” Kastel said. “So many times I turn to the bench and think, ‘Gosh I wish I could put her in.’ But instead of pouting about it, we just had to work with what we have. They’ve groomed the younger ones, been the role models.”

Next for Manchester is a St. Mary team whose 12-11 record might not strike much fear into a Flying Dutchmen squad that has eliminated fellow Cascades Conference teams Napoleon (18-4) and Addison (19-4) in its last two games.

But St. Mary competes in the mainly Class B Huron League and started the season 0-5 against a non-conference schedule full of Class A teams.

Still, Kastel is convinced her team has a good shot against the Kestels after watching them escape a regional semifinal against Jonesville when Jordan Strauss scored with 2.8 second remaining for a 44-43 win.

“(St. Mary) has a physical post, they’re quick, they transition well,” she said. “But they’re nothing we haven’t seen all season. Our conference does a great job preparing us for the postseason.”