Holiday tournament season set to tip off

It will begin today with the start of Charleroi’s annual boys event.

While Christmas has come and gone, the holiday spirit will be carried over to the basketball court over the next few days as plenty of Mon Valley schools will participate in festive tournaments.

The first will start today as Charleroi will host its yearly boys basketball holiday tournament over the next three days.

After East Allegheny faces Southmoreland at 4 p.m. and Northgate takes on Brownsville at 5:30 p.m., Ringgold will square off with South Park at 7 p.m. and Charleroi will host Frazier at 8:30 p.m.

“The Charleroi holiday tournament is a fantastic tournament and it will be an honor to take part for the first time this season,” Charleroi head coach Joe Dunn said.

On Friday, EA will face Northgate at 4 p.m., South Park will take on Frazier at 5:30 p.m., Brownsville will play Charleroi at 7 p.m. and Southmoreland will battle Ringgold at 8:30 p.m.

The tournament will conclude Saturday as Brownsville plays East Allegheny at 5:30 p.m., Southmoreland competes against South Park at 7 p.m. and Ringgold and Charleroi battle at 8:30 p.m.

South Allegheny’s tournament will include Elizabeth Forward, West Mifflin, Norwin, South Fayette and Franklin Regional alongside the Gladiators.

That will begin Friday at 5 p.m. as Franklin Regional will take on West Mifflin before South Fayette battles SA at 6:30 p.m. The ending game of the night will be Elizabeth Forward taking on Norwin at 8 p.m.

The next day, contests will include Norwin against South Fayette at 1 p.m., West Mifflin against South Allegheny at 2:30 p.m. and EF against Franklin Regional at 4 p.m.

Monessen’s tournament involves another local squad in California alongside Westinghouse and Beaver County Christian. Starting Friday at 1 p.m., California will take on Westinghouse before BCC faces the Greyhounds at 3:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Westinghouse and Beaver County Christian will open things up at 1 p.m. before California and Monessen close the curtains at 3:30 that afternoon.

Bentworth’s tournament will be played tomorrow as Carrick and West Greene will open up the festivities at 2 p.m. before the home Bearcats take on Nazareth Prep at 3:45 p.m.

Belle Vernon will travel to Deer Lakes’ tournament, Yough will head off to Greensburg Salem for its tournament and McKeesport will participate in the Peter Sauer Memorial at Shady Side Academy.

The Leopards will take on Deer Lakes Friday at 7:30 p.m. before playing Keystone Oaks at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Yough will open up play Friday at 2 p.m. against Ligonier Valley before the Cougars take on Jeannette at noon Saturday.

Concluding the boys side of things, the Tigers will take on Neighborhood Academy at 1 p.m. Friday before they play Shady Side Academy at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Elizabeth Forward will hold its annual Betsy Invitational starting Friday as Gateway and Baldwin will open it up at 4:15 p.m. before the Warriors host Seton LaSalle at 7:30 p.m.

Bentworth will host Ringgold as well as Springdale and Propel Montour as Springdale will take on the Rams at 5:30 p.m. Friday before Propel Montour plays the Bearcats.

South Allegheny will also host a tournament of Winchester Thurston, Trinity Christian and Jeannette that starts on Friday as the Gladiators will play the Jayhawks at 3:30 p.m.

Charleroi will take on Beth-Center at the latter’s tournament starting Friday. The Cougars will take on BC at 7:30 p.m. Friday before playing Fairmont (W.Va.) at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Monessen will kick off the Burgettstown tournament at 2 p.m. Friday when it plays Aliquippa.

West Mifflin will participate in the North Allegheny tournament, California will play at Mapletown’s tournament and West Mifflin will participate in Mt. Pleasant’s games.

The Trojans will open the action against Hundred (W.Va.) at 5:30 p.m. Friday while the Tigers take on Obama Academy at 3 p.m. the same day.

The Titans will take on the hosts at 7 p.m. Friday before playing Connellsville at noon Saturday.

Thomas Jefferson and Belle Vernon will wait until Monday to participate in the PennWest California University Hoopfest.

The Jaguars will play in the third game of the day at 4 p.m. against Montour while the Leopards will follow at 5:30 p.m. against Greensburg Central Catholic.