Holiday Tourneys take center stage

While some people spend the days after Christmas returning gifts and resting up for a New Year’s celebration, local basketball teams will continue the annual tradition of holiday tournament play.

Two local schools — Silver Creek and Christian Academy of Indiana — will host boys’ tourneys this week and on the girls’ side New Albany and Floyd Central will both hit the road to play in their respective tourney events.

A breakdown of the local tourney scene:

Silver Creek Holiday Tournament (Dec. 29-30)

Teams: Silver Creek (5-2), Charlestown (4-3), Clarksville (6-1), Providence (2-2)

Quick fact: Played since 1961, the tourney is the oldest in Indiana played with the same four teams every season.

Schedule: Thurs. — Clarksville vs. Providence, 6 p.m.; Silver Creek vs. Charlestown, 7:30. Friday — Consolation, 6 p.m.; Final, 7:30 p.m.

Likely favorite: Sitting at 6-1, Clarksville has beaten two of the three other teams in the field.

Darkhorse: Something about the holidays brings out the best in Silver Creek. The Dragons have won the event three of the past four seasons, but fell in the final last year to Providence.

Players to watch: Clarksville senior Joe Stover, Silver Creek senior Michael Inman, Providence senior Keevan Miller, Charlestown junior Chris Brady.

Christian Academy of Indiana Tournament (Dec. 29-30)

Teams: Christian Academy (3-4), Restoration Christian (2-3), Henryville (2-3), Cannelton (0-8)

Quick fact: This is the inaguaral season of the tourney.

Schedule: Thursday: Restoration Christian vs. Henryville, 6 p.m.; Christian Academy vs. Cannelton, 7:30 p.m. Friday — Consolation, 6 p.m., Final, 7:30 p.m.

Likely favorite: Restoration Christian has won two straight and the Lions three losses have come by just five points combined.

Darkhorse: The host Warriors are one of the most improved teams in Southern Indiana. They have already tripled last year’s win total. Henryville rides a two game win streak into Thursday, and has won those two contest by an average of 16 points per game.

Players to watch: Restoration seniors Richard Oliver and Cameron Gilkey, Henryville juniors Ryan Boger and Cody Munk

Girls

Artesian Panther Classic (Dec. 28)

Teams: New Albany (4-4), Bloomington South (6-3), Martinsville (7-2), Terre Haute South (8-4)

Schedule: Wednesday: New Albany vs. Bloomington South, 10 a.m.; Terre Haute South vs. Martinsville, 11:30 a.m.; Consolation, 6 p.m.; Final, 7:30 p.m.

Likely favorite: Terre Haute South owns the most wins of any team in the field and is the highest scoring squad.

Darkhorse: New Albany has rotated wins and losses in its past four, and played well against Class 4A No. 3 Castle on Dec. 17 before falling.

Huntington North Tournament (Dec. 30)

Teams: Floyd Central (4-5), Huntington North (7-2), Indianapolis Chatard (9-1), McCutcheon (7-3)

Schedule: Floyd Central vs. Huntington North, 10 a.m.; McCutcheon vs. Indianapolis Chatard, 11:30; Consolation, 6 p.m.; Final, 7:30 p.m.

Likely favorite: Chatard’s lone loss came to fellow Indianapolis powerhouse Cathedral. They are beating opponents by an average of 24.7 points per game.

Darkhorse: Sitting at 7-2, the host Vikings enter on a three-game win streak and own the coveted home-court advantage.

Floyd’s forecast: With a young squad, the competition will be a good measuring stick to see how Floyd responds to elite competition.