While the postseason for winter sports is still nearly two months away, it promises to be a unique week in Aberdeen in the next six days.

Tuesday night, Aberdeen Roncalli takes on Aberdeen Christian in boys’ basketball at the Aberdeen Civic Arena, while across town Aberdeen Central will host Senior Night in wrestling against Huron.

On Thursday, Roncalli will host Leola-Frederick in boys’ basketball in a game that has featured some memorable recent results.

Roncalli Gym is also the site Friday night where the Cavaliers will host Sisseton in girls’ basketball. Those two squads have hooked up in some true battles for the better part of the past decade.

Finally, Aberdeen Central will host Sioux Falls Jefferson in girls’ basketball on Saturday. The last time those two met, Jefferson hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to end Central’s season last year in the Class AA SoDak 16.

“It’s a great week,” said Roncalli boys’ basketball coach Dan Gallagher. “That’s a lot happening. I like it.”

Nobody will have the perspective on the Roncalli-Christian game quite like Gallagher, who serves as an assistant football coach for a program that combines athletes from both schools. Of course, the kids know each other quite well.

“They play together a lot during the summer, in the fall at times. I know they’ll get together and do some 3-on-3’s, 2-on-2’s, whatever it might be,” Gallagher said. “They all know each other in that respect, where they know everyone’s tendencies, they know what everyone’s good at.”

Gallagher will know just about all the participants on a first-name basis.

“We gotta flip the page from football season to basketball,” Gallagher said. “It’s funny, the last two years, (Christian’s) Brooks Jett and I both, as soon as the football awards are done, alright we’re not talking til March. We always have that running joke.”

Gallagher said the Christian game always feels different, but came up short of calling it a rivalry.

“I would love to say rivalry, but at the same time, I’ll be the first to say it, we haven’t beaten them. … We’ve had some great games,” Gallagher said. “Last year going to overtime, two years ago, really good game, but we’ve got to get our part done to make it that rivalry, I would say.”

Of course, when two Aberdeen squads face off, it does tend to get people’s attention.

“It is that unique game,” Gallagher said. “It’s one I think a lot of people always look forward to. It’s two home-town teams.”

The fact that this year’s game will take place at the legendary Civic Arena only adds to the atmosphere.

“It’s probably … more so for us older folks. I always remember playing there,” Gallagher said. “I remember having the all district games and region games there. There’s a certain nostalgia to playing there.”

Roncalli will then turn around and face the Titans of Leola-Frederick. Each team lost a key player to injury during the break with similar injuries, as Roncalli lost Austin Fisher and Leola-Frederick lost Titus Kippley.

“Both of our teams were impacted by the collarbone injury over Christmas break. It’s the way the game goes,” Gallagher said. “We’ve got Austin out, they’ve got Kippley out. Neither of us have the injury excuse when we play each other. We’ve both got it.”

All eyes will also be on that Central-Jefferson girls’ rematch on Saturday afternoon. To be sure, the Golden Eagles will be focused on gaining a measure of revenge.

“We want to beat them for sure,” said Central senior Taryn Hermansen, following a win over Yankton this past Saturday. “We’re excited for that game.”