Titans hosting annual Tantramar Invitational Christmas Classic

The defending high school AA provincial basketball champions are coming home.

The Tantramar mens basketball Titans will be playing their first home games of the 2007-2008 season this coming weekend, Dec. 6-8, as a part of the annual Tantramar Invitational Christmas Classic.

The tournament has quickly become an exciting part of the Tantramar school year, and the boys are also the defending tournament champs.

The teams they will be taking on during the tournament will include Amherst High, Rothesay High and Woodstock High.

The 2007-08 squad returns six players from the provincial championship team from last year, including league all-star Tyler Parsons.

This tournament allows us to see some of our provincial competition and scout them out, says Parsons.

Also it brings the whole community together by showing support and helping with donations and such.

Former varsity girls Titan Sarah Sutherland, who is now a guard for the Mount Allison Mounties, says, Its beneficial bringing teams, players that love playing the sport, together for some friendly competition. Its a nice break from all of the league games before the holidays.

The thing I liked most about the tournament is its always something to look forward to; the school is filled with spirit, and you get to see friends from different teams, adds Sutherland. Its one where you can play hard but still have lots of fun.

The varsity girls will open up the tournament on Thursday night at 6 p.m., when they face the Amherst team, which will be immediately followed by the varsity mens Titans in action as they face off against Amherst at 8 p.m.

Games will continue to run all day Friday, starting with the schools spirit games in the morning and all day Saturday, with both finals late Saturday afternoon.

We will be pressing hard to win the tournament as hosts, promises mens Titan Mike Purdy.