Talented, exciting field of teams to be featured in this year’s CFIT

Each winter the Cumberland Falls Invitational Tournament caps off the old year, and sends us into the new with plenty of great memories. That should definitely be the case again in 2019, as the Corbin Redhounds are welcoming in what could be one of the most overall talented field of teams in the history of the event.

That is a bold statement, but it also happens to be true, as the Hounds will be joined later this week by the two-time defending Region 5 champion John Hardin Bulldogs.

The Dogs will come into the CFIT with an unblemished 8-0 record. The only game they lost in the 2018-19 season was a one-point, 61-60, defeat at the hands of Campbell County in round one of the Sweet 16 state championship tournament. They finished their previous campaign with an overall record of 35-1.

Also joining the Hounds and the Dogs will be a junior-and-sophomore-dominated Knoxville Catholic Fighting Irish team that looks to be very strong again this season despite losing several players from last year’s roster to graduation.

Broome, SC is another out-of-state team to be featured in the 2019 CFIT, and will be bringing with them a potentially dangerous mix of both size and experience.

The Clay County Tigers and Williamsburg Yellow Jackets round out this year’s field of Falls Invitational participants.

Of course, the Tigers will be returning to Corbin as the defending Invitational champions, and the Yellow Jackets very nearly knocked off the Redhounds inside Gilliam Gymnasium just two weeks ago.

Clay, Williamsburg and Knoxville Catholic will compete against each other in pool play Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as will Corbin, Broome and John Hardin.

The two pools’ third place teams will face off at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, December 30. That will be followed by a game between the two second place teams at approximately 7:15 p.m., and the two first place teams will square off for this year’s Invitational championship starting at about 9:00 p.m.

All games will be held at Corbin High School. Pool play contests will be at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Night one will feature the Williamsburg Yellow Jackets taking on Knoxville Catholic in game one, followed immediately by Corbin versus Broome, SC.

Clay County and Williamsburg will play in game one on night two, followed by Broome versus John Hardin.

Night three will feature Corbin versus John Hardin, followed by Clay County versus Knoxville Catholic.

Be sure to look inside next week’s print edition of the News Journal for coverage from the 2019 Cumberland Falls Invitational Tournament.

Teaser photo courtesy of DEE BARNES