Southside VA News

HOLIDAY BASKETBALL ACTION SET FOR NEXT WEEK

The Harry Johnson Holiday Classic will feature six high school basketball boys’ teams, four high school girls’ teams, and three middle school boys’ teams competing over three days — Tuesday, Dec. 27, Wednesday, Dec. 28, and Thursday, Dec. 29 — at the George Washington High School gymnasium.

The tournament honors the late Harry Johnson, who coached the GW boys’ team for 19 years and led them to a state championship in 1996.

The high school boys’ teams will play in a traditional tournament-style format that will include rivals GW, Chatham, Gretna, and Tunstall. They are joined by Westover Christian Academy and Norfolk Academy. They will play at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday; 1 p.m., 6 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday; and 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday is for the tournament championship.

The high school girls’ teams also will play in a traditional tournament-style format that will include rivals GW, Gretna, and Tunstall. They are joined by Orange County. They will play at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday; and 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday. The 6 p.m. game on Thursday is for the tournament championship.

The middle school boys’ teams are Bonner, Martinsville, and Westwood. They will play in a round-robin format, with games at 1 p.m. on Tuesday; 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday; and 10 a.m. on Thursday. The 10 a.m. game on Thursday features Bonner vs. Westwood.

There will be two sessions each day — day and evening. For the day sessions, the gym opens at noon on Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, and 9 a.m. on Thursday.

Following the day sessions, the gym will be cleared for the evening sessions, with the gym opening at 5 p.m. each evening. 

All tickets are $10 per person per session, with tickets $5 per person per session for children aged 12 and under. Admission will be cash only.

The opening matchups on Tuesday have Bonner facing Martinsville at 1 p.m. and the GW girls facing Gretna at 2:30 p.m. The varsity boys’ teams take the court that evening and feature Westover Christian vs. Norfolk Academy at 6 p.m. and GW vs. Gretna at 7:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, Westwood will play Martinsville at 11:30 a.m., followed by the varsity boys’ loser bracket game at 1 p.m., and Tunstall girls vs. Orange County at 2:30 p.m.

On Wednesday evening, varsity boys’ winner bracket games will be played at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., with Tunstall facing the winner of Westover Christian vs. Norfolk at 6 p.m. and Chatham facing the winner of GW vs. Gretna at 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, Bonner and Westwood will square off at 10 a.m., followed by the varsity girls’ loser bracket game at 11:30 a.m., and the varsity boys’ loser bracket games at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

On Thursday evening, the varsity girls’ championship will be played at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity boys’ championship game at 7:30 p.m.

Original source can be found here