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Matchups will be based on each team's finish in their respective leagues, with the marquee game in girls basketball between conference champions Charlevoix and Kingsley.

Kingsley has won seven consecutive district titles and is considered one of the elite teams in this part of the state, while Charlevoix also boasts a tradition of excellence that goes back several years.

It will be a rematch of this year's Class C regional final, and sure to draw a huge crowd to the Kingsley gymnasium. All the girls games will be played at the Northwest Conference schools on Dec. 6.

A little closer to home, Elk Rapids is scheduled to square off against Buckley, one of the newest members of the Northwest Conference following its expansion this season.

Elks head coach Rick Sayer was unaware of the newest wrinkle in the basketball season when contacted at the school on Monday.

But he's excited about the idea.

"It's always good to play different teams," he said, echoing statements made by other LMC coaches asked for their comments on the series.

How much it will benefit the teams in terms of overall performance during the regular season is a matter for conjecture, but that's not the point.

Creating "a new and different atmosphere in high school basketball" is the major aim of the Challenge, according to Traverse City St. Francis athletic director Tom Hardy.

Non-conference games, especially those played early in the season, are typically used as ways to learn what areas teams have to work on.

Some coaches tinker with their substitution rotations in order to find out just how deep their bench might be, or if they need to strengthen it.

Yet there's always talk among fans, and even players and coaches, over which team is the more competitive of the two -- and now they have a real chance to prove it on the court.

In other matchups, East Jordan meets Frankfort (which tied with Benzie Central for second place), Boyne City takes on Benzie, Kalkaska plays Glen Lake, Harbor Springs is matched against Suttons Bay, St. Francis plays Leland and Grayling will play Mesick.

On the boys side, the Elks will be host to the Glen Lake Lakers on Dec. 13.

Elk Rapids had an up and down season, but hopes to be more consistent next year.

Although the Elks graduate Ian Sliger and Zac Dreffs, they return junior center/forward Charlie Hoch, and have some good prospects coming up from the junior varsity.

Charlevoix, which also won the boys title in the LMC, is pitted against Northwest champion Benzie Central, while St. Francis battles St. Francis, East Jordan hosts Leland, Boyne City plays Kingsley, Grayling takes on Suttons Bay, Kalkaska is matched against Mesick and Harbor Springs plays Buckley.

The leagues have a two-year contract in place for the Challenge.