Holiday Tournaments

Well, it’s Thursday, December 11 and I have my mind on the round-ball sport. The holiday tournaments begin at the end of next week with the 13th Annual Hoopin’ It Up in London hosted by North and South Laurel. The first every Cumberland Falls Invitational for the girls also gets underway. The Hoopin’ It Up Classic promises to be another outstanding tournament. The field includes Louisville Butler, Scott High, Breathitt County, Shelby Valley, Greenwood, Knott Central, Daviess County along with North Laurel, South Laurel, Williamsburg and Corbin.

With the talent they have, Corbin should be the favorite to win it all. They might have the toughest road to go. They will have to beat Covington Scott then get past either Louisville Butler or a team out of Virginia, Potomac Senior High. If they reach the semifinals they will have to get past North Laurel more than likely, but Breathitt County has a nice team then there is Williamsburg as well. The top bracket looks tough as well with the likes of Shelby Valley, Greenwood, Knott Central, Daviess County and South Laurel.

For the first time there will be a girls’ Cumberland Falls Invitational with Corbin, Whitley County, Fairdale, Jackson County, Rockcastle County, Middlesboro and Allen County. Just thinking about this one, Rockcastle County might be the team to beat but I don’t know a lot about Fairdale and Allen County. The following week the Redhounds will host the Cumberland Falls Invitational. The committee has put together an awesome field. With it being after Christmas, the crowds should be good this year with the likes of Bell County, Lynn Camp, Corbin, Knox Central, Boyle County and South Laurel. Other teams in the tournament are former champion, Gaffney, SC and South Floyd.

There will be some other tournaments going on as well. The Bowman Memorial starts, December 18 at Lynn Camp, The Colonels will be in the KSA in Orlando then return home to play in the Harlan County Invitational. Word is that Harlan County now has the best facility in the region. Two of the girls teams will be in Harrodsburg while one (Williamsburg) travels to Berea. In the next few weeks, I will be hoping from gym to gym…But, it is a lot of fun.