County Christmas tourney is moved
The eight Columbia County public school basketball programs will not participate in a Christmas tournament for the first time in nine years.
Reggie Rice (right) drives past a Hart County defender during the Wolfpack's 58-39 loss to the Bulldogs.
Photo by Jonathan Heeter
The tournament, known as the Columbia County Christmas Tournament, will be moved to the start of the season and renamed the Columbia County Tip-Off Classic.
The Evans boys and Greenbrier girls won the last Christmas Tournament.
The county's basketball coaches and athletic directors came to a mutual decision in late October to move the event.
"I think a lot of it had to do with the tournament going on during exams," Greenbrier coach Garrett Black said. "We can't practice a lot around the time. Also, kids were heading out of town on vacation and attendance wasn't as high as it could be."
It also gives schools an opportunity to schedule or play in another Christmas tournament away from playing the county schools.
Greenbrier is hoping to play host to its own four- or eight-team Christmas tournament next year, with teams from outside the county.
Lakeside will be the site for the first Columbia County Tip-Off Tournament in November.