The break is officially over.

Rifle got back on the court earlier this week, but, for most area prep teams, today is the official restart of the winter prep season after a holiday vacation of 2 1/2 weeks.

The Glenwood Springs and Rifle basketball teams begin their Class 4A Western Slope League slates today. The Glenwood boys (2-5) and girls (4-3) host league foe Palisade at 7:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively, at Spencer-Chavez Gym tonight.

The Demon boys enter the contest with two wins in its last three games. Palisade (2-4), conversely, hasn’t won in three games. The Bulldogs’ victories came against Snake River, Wyo., and Class 2A Meeker.

The Glenwood girls were on a tear prior to the break, winning four straight games and taking the title at the Demon Invitational tournament. In the final game before the break, however, the Demons ran into a tough squad in Basalt, the state’s 3A eighth-ranked team, losing 52-48.

On Saturday both Demon teams travel to Delta. The Delta boys’ squad is 2-2 going into Friday’s play, while the Delta girls’ only win of the season came against Class 3A Hotchkiss.

The Rifle Bears basketball teams face the same opponents as Glenwood, but on opposite nights. Rifle hosts Delta tonight with the boys tipping off at 6 p.m. and the girls at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday Rifle travels to Palisade with girls’ and boys’ start times at 6 and 7:30 p.m., respectively. The Bears boys enter the weekend with a 2-4 record, while the girls are currently 3-3.

Area Class 3A teams got in a Western Slope League game prior to the break and continue with the league schedule this weekend.

Roaring Forks’ boys won their league opener against Basalt 71-59, while the Basalt girls got the better of the Rams 84-60.

Tonight the Rams host another upvalley rival in Aspen. The Aspen boys’ and girls’ teams both have an 0-1 league record (3-3 overall). The boys’ lost to Cedaredge 51-48 prior to the break, while the girls fell 51-50. The girls are slated to begin at 7 p.m., and the boys begin at 8:30 p.m.

On Saturday the Rams travel to Olathe. The girls Olathe squad is currently 1-0 (3-3), while the boys are 0-1 (1-5).

Basalt hosts Olathe Friday night with games at 5:30 p.m. (girls) and 7 p.m. (boys) before hitting the road to face Gunnison on Saturday. The Basalt boys are in search of the first win of the season with an 0-5 overall record, while the girls still have their sights set on defending their league title and boast a record of 1-0 in the WSL (4-2 overall).

In 2A action, Grand Valley travels to Soroco Friday night and hosts Telluride Saturday.

Off the hardwood, Glenwood is at the Delta Invitational Swim Meet on Saturday. Basalt and Rifle are competing in the Eagle Valley Invitational wrestling tournament on Saturday as well.