10 Kentucky high school basketball Christmas tournaments you'll want to see this season
What makes a great high school basketball Christmas tournament?
Kentucky hoops fans will have a plethora of events to choose from over the next two weeks, and we’ve gone through scores of brackets to bring you the best.
The top criteria is good teams and good players. Each of the events listed below includes at least one top-25 team in The Courier Journal’s preseason poll of coaches. They also include such stars as Lyon County’s Travis Perry and Great Crossing’s Malachi Moreno on the boys side and Bethlehem’s Leah Macy and George Rogers Clark’s Ciara Byars on the girls side.
Also featured are some of the top gymnasiums in the state, including the Mason County Fieldhouse and Ashland Blazer’s Anderson Gym.
Finally, hospitality rooms are musts at these events. If you’re lucky enough to be able to enter, enjoy yourselves!
Here’s a look at 10 of the top Christmas tournaments to see in Kentucky this season. All times are EST.
Boys tournaments
Chad Gardner Law King of the Bluegrass
When: Dec. 19-23
Where: Fairdale High School (two gyms)
Ranked teams: No. 2 Great Crossing, No. 3 Trinity, No. 5 Frederick Douglass, No. 6 Male, No. 7 Bowling Green, No. 9 Newport, No. 14 DeSales, No. 18 Harlan County, No. 24 Washington County
Other teams: Fairdale, Taylor County, Spencer County, North Oldham, Butler County, Little Rock (Arkansas) Central, Chicago De La Salle
Semifinals: 7:30 and 9 p.m. on Dec. 22
Championship game: 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 23
What to know: The top Christmas tournament in Kentucky. The hospitality room is amazing, with local church groups and families providing different meals each day.
White, Greer and Maggard Holiday Classic
When: Dec. 27-30
Where: Lexington Catholic High School (two gyms)
Ranked teams: No. 1 Lyon County, No. 5 Frederick Douglass, No. 14 DeSales, No. 15 Woodford County, No. 16 Lexington Catholic, No. 24 Washington County
Other teams: Fleming County, Taylor County, Harrison County, Madison Southern, Cooper, Bourbon County, Lexington Christian, Calloway County, North Laurel, LaRue County
Semifinals: 7 and 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 29
Championship game: 5 p.m. on Dec. 30
What to know: Check out Lyon County’s Travis Perry, the state’s all-time leading scorer and a University of Kentucky signee.
City of Middletown Classic
When: Dec. 27-29
Where: Eastern High School
Ranked team: No. 11 Elizabethtown
Other teams: Eastern, Paul Dunbar, Atherton, Oldham County, Murray, Southern, Hopkinsville
Semifinals: 4 and 6 p.m. on Dec. 28
Championship game: 6 p.m. on Dec. 29
What to know: Check out 6-foot-10 E’town star Ayden Evans, who has signed with Ohio University.
Mason County Invitational Tournament
When: Dec. 28-30
Where: Mason County High School
Ranked team: No. 12 Mason County
Other teams: Augusta, Walton-Verona, Scott, North Oldham, Campbell County, Pike County Central, Tates Creek
Semifinals: 5:30 and 7 p.m. on Dec. 29
Championship game: 4 p.m. on Dec. 30
What to know: Seeing a game in the Mason County Fieldhouse is worth the trip.
Ashland Invitational Tournament
When: Dec. 28-30
Where: Ashland Blazer High School
Ranked teams: No. 20 Ashland Blazer, No. 21 Butler, No. 22 Danville Christian
Others teams: Morgan County, Simon Kenton, Ohio County, Martin County, Jeffersontown
Semifinals: 7 and 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 29
Championship game: 7 p.m. on Dec. 30
What to know: The granddaddy of Kentucky high school basketball tournaments is in its 68th year.
Girls tournaments
Robert Alexander Center Queen of the Commonwealth
When: Dec. 19-22
Where: Bullitt East High School (two gyms)
Ranked teams: No. 3 Bethlehem, No. 4 Cooper, No. 5 McCracken County, No. 8 Owensboro Catholic, No. 10 Franklin County, No. 12 Manual, No. 14 Meade County, No. 15 Corbin, No. 20 Boyd County, No. 22 Covington Holy Cross
Other teams: Bullitt East, Taylor County, Madisonville-North Hopkins, Bowling Green, Simon Kenton, Barren County
Semifinals: 7 and 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 21
Championship game: 7 p.m. on Dec. 22
What to know: Started in 2016, the Queen of the Commonwealth has become one of Kentucky’s elite tournaments behind the leadership of Bullitt East coach Chris Stallings.
White, Greer and Maggard Holiday Classic
When: Dec. 20-23
Where: Lexington Catholic High School (two gyms)
Ranked teams: No. 2 George Rogers Clark, No. 7 Frederick Douglass, No. 11 Ryle, No. 13 Ashland Blazer, No. 16 Mercy, No. 18 Christian Academy, No. 25 Southwestern
Other teams: Lexington Catholic, Frankfort, Male, Henry Clay, Dixie Heights, Anderson County, Conner, Paul Dunbar
Semifinals: 9 and 10:45 a.m. on Dec. 23
Championship game: 5:45 p.m. on Dec. 23
What to know: Always a strong field for this Lexington event.
Cochran Mechanical/Smith Realtors Holiday HoopFest
When: Dec. 20-22
Where: Elizabethtown High School (two gyms)
Ranked teams: No. 9 Butler, No. 24 Pulaski County
Other teams: Elizabethtown, Great Crossing, Breckinridge County, John Hardin, Central Hardin, North Bullitt
Semifinals: 5:30 and 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 21
Championship game: 5:45 p.m. on Dec. 22
What to know: Check out Butler’s dynamic duo of Mariah Knight and Ramiya White (University of Kentucky signee).
Lady Invitational of the South
When: Dec. 27-30
Where: Allen County-Scottsville High School
Ranked teams: No. 10 Franklin County, No. 17 Henderson County, No. 21 Montgomery County, No. 23 Russell
Other teams: Allen County-Scottsville, Russellville, Westmoreland (Tennessee), South Laurel, Taylor County, Greenwood, Breckinridge County, Madison Central, Central Magnet (Tennessee), Metcalfe County, Adair County, Highlands
Semifinals: 8:15 and 9:45 p.m. on Dec. 29
Championship game: 7 p.m. on Dec. 30
What to know: Once the top girls tournament in Kentucky, the Lady Invitational of the South has one of its strongest fields in years.
Lady Panther Invitational
When: Dec. 28-30
Where: Pikeville High School
Ranked teams: No. 3 Bethlehem, No. 6 Pikeville, No. 14 Meade County, No. 25 Southwestern
Other teams: Mason County, Elizabethtown, Paintsville, Knott County Central
Semifinals: 5:30 and 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 29
Championship game: 5 p.m. on Dec. 30
What to know: This first-year event has attracted a strong eight-team field.
Kentucky's Mr. Football: Record-setting Bell County High School RB Daniel Thomas earns award
Reach Jason Frakes at jfrakes@courier-journal.com and follow him on X @kyhighs.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA basketball Christmas tournament 2023: 10 to watch in Kentucky
