Tenaha Holiday Hoops Tournament Provides Strong Field for Boys + Girls Teams

The fourth annual Tenaha Holiday Hoops tournament starts Thursday and continues through Saturday at multiple locations in Shelby and Panola counties.

Boys games start 9 a.m. Thursday and will be played at the Tenaha Special Events Center, Tenaha's Tiger Gymnasium, Gary High School, and Joaquin High School. The girls bracket also starts 9 a.m. Thursday and will be played at the SEC, Gary, Joaquin, and Panola College in Carthage.

Six teams ranked in the latest Texas Association of Basketball Coaches boys polls will participate in this weekend's event, including defending Class 2A state champion White Oak, which is undefeated and riding a winning streak approaching 50 games. The Roughnecks are joined by San Augustine (No. 3 in Class A Division I), Cayuga (No. 3 in 1A D-I), Laneville (No. 7 in 1A D-II), Saltillo (No. 16 in 1A D-II), and Chireno (No. 24 in 1A D-II).

The girls side of the bracket boasts four ranked teams, including the top two teams in Class A Division II: No. 1 Saltillo and No. 2 Lipan. Slocum (No. 3 in 1A D-I) and Chireno (No. 17 in 1A D-II) are also playing in the event.

Saltillo's girls aim for their fourth Tenaha Holiday Hoops championship in as many years. Kountze's boys shoot for their third crown after winning the title in 2009-10.

White Oak beat Laneville for the boys championship a year ago, while Saltillo topped Tatum for the girls crown. In 2010, Kountze's boys beat West Sabine for the title and Saltillo's girls defeated Edgewood. In the first event three years ago, Kountze's boys clinched the title over San Augustine, while Saltillo's girls triumphed over Sabine.

The boys consolation championship is 4 p.m. Saturday in Tenaha's Special Events Center. The third-place game is at 7 o'clock, and the championship game is 8:30 in the SEC.

The girls consolation title is 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the SEC, followed by the third-place game at 12:30 p.m. and championship game at 2 p.m.

Tenaha Holiday Hoops

Thursday Boys Games

• Alto vs. Martinsville, 9 a.m., Tenaha's Tiger Gymnasium
• Lipan vs. Cayuga, 10:30 a.m., Tenaha's Tiger Gymnasium
• Laneville vs. Woden, 10:30 a.m., Gary
• Avery vs. Tenaha, noon, Tenaha's Tiger Gymnasium
• Saltillo vs. Slocum, noon, Tenaha's Special Events Center
• San Augustine vs. Chireno, noon, Gary
• Central Heights vs. Joaquin, noon, Joaquin
• Alto or Martinsville vs. White Oak, 12:30 p.m., Tenaha's Tiger Gymnasium
• Kountze vs. Leggett, 1:30 p.m., Tenaha's Special Events Center
• Lipan or Cayuga vs. Laneville or Woden, 5 p.m., Tenaha's Special Events Center
• Avery or Tenaha vs. San Augustine or Chireno, 6:30 p.m., Tenaha's Special Events Center
• Joaquin or Central Heights vs. Kountze or Leggett, 8 p.m., Tenaha's Special Events Center

Thursday Girls Game

• Tenaha vs. Cayuga, 9 a.m., Tenaha's Special Events Center
• Tatum vs. Can Augustine, 9 a.m., Panola College, Carthage
• Joaquin vs. Lipan, 9 a.m., Joaquin
• Elysian Fields vs. Chireno, 9 a.m., Gary
• Avery vs. Sabine, 10:30 a.m., Tenaha's Special Events Center
• Saltillo vs. Leggett, 10:30 a.m., Joaquin
• White Oak vs. Harleton, 10:30 a.m., Panola College, Carthage
• Slocum vs. Whitewright, noon, Panola College, Carthage
• Tenaha or Cayuga vs. Tatum or San Augustine, 3:30 p.m., Tenaha's Tiger Gymnasium
• Joaquin or Lipan vs. Elysian Fields or Chireno, 3:30 p.m., Tenaha's Special Events Center
• Avery or Sabine vs. Saltillo or Leggett, 5 p.m., Tenaha's Tiger Gymnasium
• White Oak or Harleton vs. Slocum or Whitewright, 6:30 p.m., Tenaha's Tiger Gymnasium