Some of get excited over the tremendous sales the days following Christmas. Some of us get excited because hoops is in full effect with holiday tournaments dotting the Tennessee landscape.
Lets take a look at some, shall we:
Beech Holiday Tourney
Great event with some exciting opening round contests.
Averritt Baggett (Clarksville) leads Clarksville against one of the hottest teams in the state Germantown. Belmont signee Ian Clark (Germantown) and rising junior hotshot Austin Hollins (Germantown) make this an opening round must see contest.
MBA behind Holden Mobley (MBA) tangles with a tough Memphis Sheffield squad. A double dose of Crawford, Montrell Crawford and Chris Crawford, make this group go.
Marquis Rudolph (Clarksville Northwest) leads his team into battle against Antioch. Still talented despite heavy graduation losses from a year ago, football star Zellburge Gleaves and Harold Jenkins will lead the cause.
In the final contest of the evening the host school, Beech and talented junior guard Reece Chamberlain takes on Arlington.
Eagleville Classic
In the opener Page tangles with Forrest and following that contest, Tryston Horton (Tullahoma) leads the Wildcats of Tullahoma against 2008 state semifinalist Eagleville and the brother tandem of Jared and Jo Jo Wilson.
Father Ryan Christmas Tourney
Loaded event featuring some of the best young players in the state. Opening round action pits Mt. Juliet and super junior Teraes Clemmons against stout and strong Brentwood and their inside killer Kyle Teichmann.
"King" Arthur McMillan (Hillsboro) leads his Burros into a battle with athletic Oakland. The Patriots will look to Tyler Edwards and Jamal Hughes for their scoring efforts.
A huge battle for some respect for Class A Summertown as they face AAA Stratford. Wes Long (Summertown) is on a scoring tear and will be tested by the athletic Stratford guards including TeAndre Fischer.
Princeton signee Brendan Connolly (Father Ryan) leads the host squad in the evenings final matchup against up and coming Blackman and their scoring hopeful J.D. White.
Hickman County Invitational
Marlon Brown (Harding Academy) ,the state top football talent, brings his considerable hoops skills to Centerville for this event. Brown leads Harding in the opening contest against Lewis County.
Tupelo (Ms.) tangles with Smyrna before Vanderbilt signee John Jenkins (Station Camp) and his troops battle Community and senior forward Wilder Norris.
The final game pits the host school Hickman County against Watertown.
Middle Tennessee Christian Tournament
Four games highlight the action at MTCS this Saturday. Getting things underway Goodpasture deals with DeKalb County followed by Ezell-Harding battling Metro Christian.
Game three has Friednship Christian taking on Franklin Classical and the evening concludes with Killen Middleton (MTCS) leading the host squad against a tough Sycamore squad led by Travis Dempsey and Keenan Froedden.
Nera White Classic
Action begins at Macon County with a tough first roudn game featuring Jackson County and East Robertson. Two tough Class A ballclubs, Jared Robinson (Jackson County) has been on a scoring binge of late and should have a nice matchup with ER's talented David Woodard (East Robertson).
Trousdale County battles Merrol Hyde in the second game followed by Smith County taking on E.J. Perry (Westmoreland) and Westmoreland.
Overton Christmas Tournament
A bevy of tough squads mosy on over to Overton for this event. The host school Nashville Overton tangles with pearl-Cohn in the boys opener followed by White's Creek taking on Nick Smith and Aaron Academy.
A matchup of talented senior guards highlights the noon contest with Deonte Alexander (Glencliff) doing work against DeAngelo Williams (Spring Hill).
This contest will be closely followed by Carter Sanderson (Lipscomb) and Lipscomb taking on the surprising Hunter's Lane bunch from Nashville led by DeMarco Starling (Hunter's Lane).
Todd Mayo (Houston) brings his talented young squad to the 'ville to battle Pope John Paul II in the nightcap. Football star Wesley Tate (PJPII) is back in the fold for the hoops squad.
White County Shootout
Loudon stomps into Sparta ready for action and draws Franklin County in the event opener. Kentrell Southern and Giordani Taylor lead Franklin County against a deep Loudon squad led by David Lee Haskins.
Game two features Upperman and their senior trio of Carrin Nash, Dustin Baxter and Kelsey Hamlet taking on Meigs County.
Daniel Boone comes from way up in East Tennessee to take on young and athletic Red Bank. Sophomores Nick Ross and Kelvin Clay lead the way for RB.
In the finale, the host squad White County behind Stuart Mitchell battles McMinn County.
Good luck to all and you should have no excuse for getting somewhere to watch hoops this weekend.
