What to know for this year's Corpus Christi area Christmas Basketball Tournaments
With 2023 coming to a close and the new year days away, area high school basketball teams will tune up for the thick of district play by playing in their final tournaments of the season.
Tournament play begins on Wednesday for some teams while others will play on Thursday and Friday.
Each team will compete in pool stages and brackets to determine the champion, runner up and third place winner.
Here's a breakdown of the tournaments and teams competing during Christmas week.
ROY WILLIAMS HOLIDAY CLASSIC
The 10th-annual Roy Williams classic will feature some of the top teams in the area in West Oso, Aransas Pass, Flour Bluff, Robstown, Beeville and Alice taking center stage. Ray and John Paul II are other area teams that will look to carry some momentum into district play.
Aransas Pass and Beeville are both coming off regional tournament appearances with the Trojans already carrying a 2-0 record in District 30-4A play.
West Oso is another team that is off to a hot start after winning its first three district games in dominant fashion.
Robstown and Alice have also shown their potential with solid starts to the season and Flour Bluff will look to tune up one final time for a run at the District 29-5A title.
FLOYD CAMPBELL, ARNOLD FLORES HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT
In addition to the West Oso girls tournament, the West Oso boys basketball tournament is in its third season as the "Floyd Campbell and Arnold Flores" Holiday Tournament.
This year's event will feature a group of UIL playoff contending teams such as Flour Bluff, Santa Gertrudis Academy, Aransas Pass, West Oso and Rockport-Fulton.
The Corpus Christi Badgers and John Paul II are two other teams that will be featured with the hopes of tuning up for district play.
ODEM LADY OWL CHRISTMAS CLASSIC
Odem's annual Christmas tournament will feature a full lineup of Coastal Bend teams this season.
Area teams such as Odem, Woodsboro, Skidmore-Tynan, Orange Grove, San Diego, Banquete, Sinton and Gregory-Portland will compete Wednesday, Dec. 27 and Thursday, Dec. 28 for a chance to end the 2023 season on a good note.
Woodsboro and Skidmore-Tynan will be the lone Class 2A teams looking to continue non-district games against tougher competition. The Lady Cats are hoping to have a solid finish in their quest for another district crown.
OTHER CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENTS
• Glen Holiday Classic: The Ray and Veterans Memorial boys will travel to Leander for their final tournament of the 2023.
• Kingsville Tournament: The Miller girls will play in the Kingsville tournament alongside the Brahmas ahead of District 29-5A North Zone action. Kingsville is already off to a good start in 31-4A after a win against Robstown in its 31-4A opener.
• Rebels Invitational: The Carroll boys will travel to the Austin area for the Rebel Invitational in Hays.
• Lady Lion shootout: The Santa Gertrudis Academy girls will host their home tournament with District 30-3A play set to begin on Jan. 9.
More: 'He's a once in a lifetime player': G-P's Shawn Williams off to breakout junior season
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: What to know for this year's holiday tournaments in the Coastal Bend
