Thigpen Christmas Classic At VHS
Courtesy of VHS
The 7th Annual Paul Thigpen Automotive Group Christmas Classic will get underway Tuesday, December 27, at Parsons-Reid Gymnasium on the campus of Vidalia High School. 20 teams representing 13 schools from around southeast Georgia and Florida will play 23 games over three days, with Vidalia High School serving as the host school.
“Coach Dalley always brings in quality teams, which creates some exciting matchups, and this year is no different. We are excited to have this group of great athletes come to Vidalia and participate in the tournament,' said Paul Thigpen of The Paul Thigpen Automotive Group. “Coach Dalley and his staff and volunteers do a great job running the tournament and ensuring everyone has an enjoyable time.'
The tournament gets underway at 11:00 on the 27th, with the Calvary Boys taking on ECI. Each day will end with the Vidalia teams playing the last game of the day at 6:30 & 8:00 p.m. the first two days and 7:30 & 9:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Vidalia Head Basketball Coach Tommy Dalley says that this year’s field is not only the largest in the history of the event but also may be the most talented. “The field for this year’s Christmas Classic is absolutely loaded with talented teams for both girls and boys. We have the largest number of area teams in the tournament that we have ever had, and we have some of the best teams from South Georgia and Florida that you can ask for. Calvary Day just beat the number one team in Savannah (Johnson) over the weekend. Then throw in Coffee, Glynn Academy, as well as Paxon HS from Jacksonville, FL. And that’s just the boys' side. On the girls' side you have Statesboro, Southeast Bulloch, and more. This is a fantastic event for us locally that brings 13 different schools into our city over a span of three days for some really high-end basketball.”
Games on Tuesday and Wednesday will begin at 11:00 a.m., with the last game set to tip at 8:00 p.m. Thursday’s games start at 9:00 a.m., with the last game set for 9:00 p.m. The cost for each day is $8.00 per person, and tickets may be purchased in advance or at the gate using a Debit or Credit Card. Only VHS Booster passes, and GHSA passes will be honored.
