Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

Welcome to the improved version of The Ironton Classic.

Unlike a two-day affair in the past, a new wrinkle this year has a third day of games. Two games will be played on Thursday with the St. Joseph Flyers facing Portsmouth West at 5:15 p.m. and Hargrave Military Academy going against North Carolina’s Christian Faith Center Academy at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the event are $10 for an entire day of action. All games will be played in the Harold Conley Sports Center.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the talent level. Many Division I college players have entertained fans in the past. 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.

There will be a full slate of five games on both Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, the Fairland Dragons play Wesley Christian (Ky.) at 2 p.m. followed by the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers and Spring Valley at 3:45.

The 5:30 game has a pair of North Carolina teams as Christian Faith Center plays M.A.C.K. Prep. Ironton hits the court at 7:15 against Bell Multicultural of Washington D.C., and the nightcap features St. Ignatios Prep of South Carolina against Hargrave Military.

The action starts early on Saturday with Wesley Christian and Portsmouth Notre Dame at 11 a.m. and the Coal Grove Hornets going against North Adams at 12:45 p.m.

M.A.C.K. Prep plays St. Ignatios at 2:30, Portsmouth tangles with Columbus Brookhaven at 4:15, Columbus Africentric takes on Peebles at 6 p.m., Bell Multicultural and Columbus Walnut Ridge play at 7:45 with the finale pitting Ironton against Columbus Eastmoor Academy.