Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

It’s that time of the year.

Christmas? Well, yeah, but even more so this weekend is The Ironton Classic that features some of the best high school basketball talent in the country.

Besides the locals teams, some of the top Division I prospects will be on hand for the annual event.

There will be 21 teams from six states plus the District of Columbia.

Players in this year’s classic are being recruited by Louisville, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Kansas State, Marshall, Indiana, Purdue, Dayton, West Virginia, Shawnee State, Western Kentucky, Buffalo, Hofstra and Samford.

Local teams include host Ironton and the Ironton Lady Tigers, St. Joseph, Coal Grove, Fairland, Portsmouth, Portsmouth West, North Adams, Peebles and Spring Valley, W.Va., girls.

Here is the three-day schedule:

The Ironton Classic

2012 Schedule

Thursday’s Games

Ironton 7th grade girls vs. Coal Grove 7th grade girls, 2:30

Ironton 8th grade girls vs. Coal Grove 8th grade girls, 4:00

St. Joseph vs. Portsmouth West, 5:45

Hargrave Military vs. N.C. Christian Faith Center, 7:00

Tickets are $4

Friday’s Games

Fairland vs. Wesley Christian, 2:00

Ironton Lady Tigers vs. Spring Valley, 3:45

M.A.C.K. Prep vs. N. Carolina Christian Faith Center, 5:30

Ironton vs. Bell Multicultural, 7:15

St. Ignatios vs. Hargrave Military, 9:00

Tickets are $10

Saturday’s Games

Portsmouth Notre Dame vs. Wesley Christian, 11 a.m.

Coal Grove vs. North Adams, 12:45 p.m.

M.A.C.K. Prep vs St. Ignatios, 2:30

Portsmouth vs. Columbus Brookhaven, 4:15

Columbus Africentric vs. Peebles, 6:00

Bell Multicultural vs. Columbus Walnut Ridge, 7:45

Ironton vs. Columbus Eastmoor Academy, 9:30

Tickets are $10