By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
OCEAN SPRINGS — The renewal of the Jackson County Basketball Christmas Tournament tips off Monday night.
SouthMiss6 Sports is sponsoring the boys’ event, which is set for Hubbard Gymnasium in Ocean Springs. The host Greyhounds will welcome in Pascagoula, George County and Daphne, Ala.
The Panthers and the Trojans will begin the affair at 6 p.m., followed by the host team and the Rebels at 7:30 p.m.
The event is a true tournament style format, and winners will meet in Tuesday night’s championship game at 7:30 while losers from the opening round will meet at 6 p.m., Tuesday in the consolation contest.

SouthMiss6 Sports will present a five player All-Tournament Team, that will be announced Tuesday night.
The event is the first attempt at a Jackson County Basketball Tournament since 2001. There were also other similar tourneys dating back to the 12930’s and 40’s, as well as a little over four decades ago from 1892-1984.
The reincarnation of the tournament was the brainchild of veteran PHS head coach Lorenzo Wright with some help from OSHS mentor Collin Goley.
“I had no idea the history behind it so I’m glad to be a part of bringing it back,” Wright said Monday morning. “We are excited to bring this tournament back to Jackson County. This year we wanted to start small with a two-day event. Coach Goley and I are determined to grow the event going forward. Next year, it will be a three day event and will feature the best teams in Jackson County against other teams across the region.”

The idea is to continue to grow the tournament each year.
“It was really Lorenzo’s idea,” Goley said. “He wanted to create something like Rankin County used to do back in the day. The coast really only has the Gulfport Christmas tournament and we feel like we can make something just as big or if not bigger. The goal is to eventually have eight teams and make it three days.”
Also, on Monday afternoon, the Pascagoula girls will host the female version of the same event. Play is set for Monday and Tuesday as well, with PHS and OSHS also competing in that one joined by two teams from Alabama in Theodore and Mobile Davidson.
The Lady Greyhounds face Theodore at 3 p.m., Monday afternoon followed by the Lady Panthers vs. Davidson at 4:30. On Tuesday, PHS faces THS at 4:30, preceded by OSHS vs. DHS at 3 p.m.
The plan is for the sites to swap next year, with Pascagoula hosting the boy’s tourney and OSHS hosting the girls event.