The annual Times Free Press Best of Preps basketball tournament tips off Thursday morning, and it will feature a schedule of games that rates as one of the most competitive in the history of the event.
The three-day tournament will once again be held at Chattanooga State with eight boys' and eight girls' teams. All 16 of them are from the area, and they include several traditional powerhouse local programs.
Daily admission for the tournament is $10 and is good for all eight games that day. Once again, tournament organizers will have added security inside the gym, and all items, including bags and clutch purses, are subject to search at the gates.
"We want everyone to feel very safe with the security measures we've taken," said Chattanooga State men's basketball coach Jay Price, who is also the tournament director. "We will have officers inside the gym as well as patrolling the parking lot because we want these games to be about the teams and players and for everyone there to know their safety is a priority."
There will be a new boys' champion as Baylor, which won last year's event, did not return this year. McCallie, which was last year's runner-up, is back, along with Notre Dame — the TSSAA Division II-A state runner-up last season — plus perennial state tournament participants Brainerd and Tyner, along with Chattanooga Christian, East Hamilton, Red Bank and Signal Mountain.
The Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe girls return with a chance to three-peat as champions, while last year's runner-up, Baylor, is also back. The girls' bracket also features unbeaten Signal Mountain, Chattanooga Christian, Meigs County, Notre Dame, Red Bank and Tyner.
"I'm very excited, and I'm sure the fans will be, too," Price said. "There are a lot of talented players and some of the best teams in the area all playing here this week, so I'm sure basketball fans all around the area will want to check it out."
Thursday's first round will tip off with four girls' games, beginning at 10 a.m. with Red Bank versus Tyner, followed by Baylor versus Signal Mountain (11:30), Chattanooga Christian versus Meigs County (1 p.m.), and Notre Dame versus LFO (2:30).
Boys' games begin at 4 p.m. with Brainerd taking on Notre Dame, followed by McCallie versus Signal Mountain (5:30), East Hamilton versus Chattanooga Christian (7), and Red Bank versus Tyner (8:30).
Friday will feature championship semifinals in each bracket as well as losers-bracket games, and the tournament wraps up on Saturday with consolation games and title matchups. The girls' final is set for 7 p.m., and the boys' championship will follow.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com.