Big week on the hardwood

If you enjoy quality high school hoops, then this week is the holiday present that keeps on giving. The schedule ahead definitely isn’t short on good basketball.

Three local teams will be playing in the Huntsville Times Classic, which is arguably the best high school boys basketball tournaments in the state. The tournament begins Tuesday at Huntsville High, with Athens playing Class 6A, top-ranked Bob Jones in the opening game at 9 a.m. Class 6A, tenth-ranked Austin opens the tournament with Johnson at noon, and Decatur will play Columbia at 4:30 p.m.

The Huntsville Times Classic winner – and those that finish not far behind – are usually contending for state titles in late February and early March. That’s not likely to change  this season. Seven of the 16 teams in this year’s bracket are ranked in their respective classifications.

Rather check out some great girls basketball? Well, the local options are plentiful. The Decatur Orthopaedic Clinici Classic, one of the best tournaments in north Alabama, will begin Tuesday at Decatur High. This year’s DOC bracket is loaded with future Division I players and teams that should contend for state titles, including a Clarksville (Tenn.) squad that touts three Southeastern Conference signees. Here’s a a story that was published in Monday’s edition of The Decatur Daily this always-fun event: http://decaturdaily.com/stories/Clarksville-train-arriving-here,89407?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=

Another great girls basketball tournament will be taking place this week a few miles down the road in Rogersville. The Northwest Alabama Christmas Classic, which is hosted by Lauderdale County High, begins today. This tournament always showcases some of the best small-school teams in Alabama and Middle Tennessee.

So, if you love basketball, then this week almost is packed with entertainment. But who’s complaining? It’s the gift that keeps on giving for basketball fans.

Justin Graves