By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
GULFPORT — The field is set for one of the longest running holiday prep basketball tournaments in the state of Mississippi.
The eight teams participating in the 42nd annual Admiral Holiday Classic were announced recently, and half the field is comprised of “Southern Six” squads including of course host Gulfport. The three-day, true tournament style event is set for Dec. 29-31st at Bert Jenkins Gym on the campus of Gulfport High School.

Joining the Admirals will be St. Stanislaus, D’Iberville and Pass Christian as well as Laurel, Madison Central, Terry and Jackson Jim Hill in the traditional all boys’ annual affair.
This marks the first time in some years that the eight team field will be an all Mississippi contingent. Last year, three teams from Alabama comprised almost half of the field.

Over the last four decades, when the tourney was known mainly as the “Admiral Hardwood Club Holiday Classic”, prep hoops teams from all across the nation have descended upon Gulfport the week between Christmas and New years Day for this prestigious event.
Squads from Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and of course from all over Mississippi among a few other states have been involved at some point.

The host Admirals will be looking for their first tourney title in 13 years as play tips off in a little over a week.
Last season, the first loss of the Butler era came in the finals of the event as Starkville closed out the title tilt on a 20-6 run to blow past the host Admirals on their way to a 65-48 championship win in the title tilt.
Gulfport trailed by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, but the Admirals pulled within three points of the Yellow Jackets late in the third quarter at 45-42. But a costly Gulfport turnover on a steal opened the Yellow Jackets run as Jaden Tate converted the turnover into a resounding slam dunk which fired up the visitors and put an end to the Gulfport momentum.
The last time the Admirals won the title in this event was 2012, knocking off Pascagoula 50-44. It marked the 15th championship trophy for Gulfport in the four decade history of the tournament.