HOLIDAY HOOP: Houlka at Baldwyn, Houston at Booneville

There is plenty of holiday hoops to go around this week. Booneville, Baldwyn and Alcorn Central are hosting three of the biggest events.

The Baldwyn Rotary Classic goes today and Friday with six games each day. Unbeaten Baldwyn faces Houlka and Shannon in the 7:30 nightcaps each night. Mooreville and Houlka play at 4:30 p.m. Friday.“The kids would rather play games than practice during the holidays,” Baldwyn coach Jason McKay said. “It’s good I think to have a little break but at the same time, it’s easier to play games than practice.”Baldwyn will end the year learning more about its team. For the second straight season, the Bearcats are dealing with a season-ending injury. Point guard Dee Gates had surgery Monday to repair a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season.

Booneville battle

Booneville is hosting a two-day event beginning Friday between its home floor and Northeast’s Bonner Armold Coliseum.

“We hope we’ve got a tournament put together that a lot of people will get to play teams that they wouldn’t normally play throughout the year that are still really, really good matchups,”said Booneville coach Michael Smith.

The Blue Devils host Houston at 8 :30 p.m. Friday. Kenny Paul Geno and the Blue Devils will face Mississippi State football commitment Chris Jones and the Hilltoppers.

The game before that pits two defending state championship girls teams New Site and Pontotoc.

Shannon and Center Hill face off as part of a nine-game lineup Saturday at Northeast.

The Alcorn Central Christmas Classic is a three-day event between the Alcorn Central High School and Middle School gyms.

Alcorn Central and Falkner close Thursday night’s schedule at 8 p.m. at the high school. Biggersville faces Cordova, Tenn. Friday at 5 p.m. at the high school.

Aberdeen is playing at Mississippi State’s Humphrey Colisuem at 4:30 p.m. today vs. Lanett, Ala. Host Starkville faces Hamilton, Tenn., in the following game. Starkville plays Lanett in the 2 p.m. finale on Friday.

brandon.speck@journalinc.com