Tournament Time in Houston County

Tourneys Tip-off Thursday

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY – Legendary basketball Coach Dean Smith once said, “Basketball is a beautiful game when the five players on the court play with one heartbeat.”

On Thursday, Dec. 28 East Texas basketball fans will be able to see that heartbeat in person as the Houston County Holiday Tournament tips off. The tourney will feature 10 teams vying to see who’s the best on the CHS and GHS hardwood.

The teams competing in the tournament are (in no particular order are: Grapeland; Malakoff; Crockett; Westwood; Fairfield; China Spring; Wharton; Trinity; Slocum; Diboll; Elkhart; and Palestine.

Thursday’s action will consist of pool play in both Grapeland and Crockett. The hoops action begins at 11 a.m. in Crockett as the Crockett Bulldogs take on the #5 ranked Class 3A Westwood Panthers.

Meanwhile in Grapeland, the #10 ranked Class 2A Sandies will face the Malakoff Tigers with an 11 a.m. start time, as well.

The next start time will be at 12:20 p.m. and will feature the Fairfield Eagles taking on the China Spring Cougars in Grapeland. The Hopkins Dome will feature a battle of Tigers as the Wharton Tigers square off against the Trinity Tigers.

The #10 ranked Class 1A Slocum Mustangs will make their first appearance in the tournament at 1:40 p.m. as they take on the Malakoff Tigers in Grapeland. In Crockett, Westwood will face the Class 4A Diboll Lumberjacks, beginning 1:40 p.m.

The final two games of Day are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. The Elkhart Elks will be in action as they take on China Spring in Grapeland, while the Trinity Tigers will match up against the Palestine Wildcats in Crockett.

As Friday Dec. 29 rolls around, the Latexo Christmas Passed Shootout gets underway. The Latexo tournament will feature five boys’ teams and five girls’ teams.

For the boys, the teams are: Apple Springs; Trinidad; Latexo; Chester; and Zavalla. On the girls’ side of the court, the teams are: Normangee; Trinidad; Latexo; Chester; and Zavalla.

The games will start at 8 a.m. with the Latexo Lady Tigers taking on the Normangee Lady Panthers. Game Two will see the Latexo Tigers take the court against the Apple Springs Eagles at 9:20 a.m.

The 10:40 game will pit the Normangee Lady Panthers against the Trinidad Lady Trojans and will be followed at high noon by a game between the Apple Springs Eagles and the Trinidad Trojans.

The Trinidad Lady Trojans will be back in action at 1:20 p.m. as they face the Chester Lady Yellow Jackets.  The girls will be followed by their classmates as the Trojans face the Yellow Jackets at 2:40 p.m.

The Lady Yellow Jackets take the court again at 4 p.m. as they face the Zavalla Lady Eagles.  Once again, the girls will be followed by their classmates as the Yellow Jackets face the Eagles at 5:20 p.m.

The home team Tigers and Lady Tigers close out the Day One action as the Latexo girls take on the Zavalla Lady Eagles at 6:40 p.m., while the Tigers take on the Zavalla Eagles at 8 p.m.

While the Shootout in Latexo is underway, pool play will wrap up in both Crockett and Grapeland on Friday.

The Sandies will start things off at 10 a.m. on Friday morning as they face the Slocum Mustangs. The Bulldogs will also get things going in Crockett at 10 a.m. as they take on Diboll.

Once the Sandies and Mustangs finish, the Elkhart Elks will square off against the Fairfield Eagles in Grapeland.

The Hopkins Dome will see pool play wrap up as the Palestine Wildcats take on the Wharton Tigers at 11:20 a.m.

After the final game of pool play concludes the 12 teams will be seeded and the actual tournament will begin sometime after noon on Dec. 29.

On Saturday, Dec. 30, the Latexo Shootout will resume at 8 a.m. The first game of the day will see The Chester Eagles taking on the Apple Springs Eagles. Game Two will see the Chester Lady Eagles taking the court against the Apple Springs Lady Eagles at 9:20 a.m.

The 10:40 game will pit the Latexo Tigers against the Chester Eagles and will be followed at high noon by a game between the Latexo Lady Tigers against and the Chester Lady Eagles.

The Apple Springs Eagles will be back in action at 1:20 p.m. as they face the Zavalla Eagles. The boys will be followed by a showdown between the Normangee Lady Panthers at 2:40 p.m.

The Zavalla Eagles take the court again at 4 p.m. as they face the Trinidad Trojans. The boys will be followed by their classmates as the Lady Eagles face the Lady Trojans at 5:20 p.m.

The home team Tigers and Lady Tigers close out the Latexo Christmas Passed Shootout as the Latexo boys take on the Trinidad Trojans at 6:40 p.m., while the Lady Tigers take on the Lady Trojans at 8 p.m.      the #10 ranke

Will Johnson may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].