Round Ball Classic opens Thursday at Lee County High School

LEESBURG — The ninth annual Lee County Roundball Classic, South Georgia’s largest Christmas basketball tournament, begins Thursday at Lee County High School. This year’s event features 16 teams, including local squads and teams from Florida, Alabama, and across Georgia.

“I want to invite fans from all over to come out and support the largest Christmas tournament in South Georgia,” said Lee County Head Coach Kirven Davis. “We have exceptionally talented teams coming to compete.”

Local teams participating in the tournament include Lee County, Dougherty, Monroe, Worth County, and Mitchell County.

The competition is divided into red and black brackets, with two tournament champions set to be crowned. The action kicks off Thursday at 10 a.m. with the Cairo Syrupmakers taking on the Long County Blue Tide.

Dougherty will be the first local team to take the court, facing Camden County at 1 p.m. Monroe follows with a 5:30 matchup against a formidable 13-1 Booker T. Washington squad from Tuskegee, Alabama. The host Lee County Trojans will close the opening day at 8:30 p.m. against Lake Minneola from central Florida.

The tournament concludes Saturday with championship games in both brackets.

Tickets for the event are $12 and can be purchased at the door.