Holiday week opens with annual Chapman Tourney at MA

By TIM GAYLE

The annual Coach Larry Chapman Foundation Tip Off Tournament opens play on Monday at Montgomery Academy with a local flavor as 14 of the 16 participants are River Region teams. 

“From the boys’ perspective, it’s a deep tournament with some really good teams,” Montgomery Academy coach Jeremy Arant said. “It’s a good tournament, we’re excited about it. Most of the teams are local teams so it should be good crowds and some good basketball for people in the city to come out and watch.”

In the boys’ division, Montgomery Academy, Alabama Christian, Prattville Christian, Pike Road, J.A.G. and Brew Tech are joined by Notasulga and Lanett. In the girls’ division, the six River Region teams are joined by Catholic and St. James. 

The Catholic girls are participating in the tournament but the Knights’ boys basketball team had decided not to participate because many of their players are on the football team as it prepares for a quarterfinal matchup at Jacksonville.

The St. James girls are participating and the Trojans’ boys basketball team initially planned to participate but had to pull out because many of their players are on the football team as it prepares to travel to Thomasville for a quarterfinal matchup. 

This year is the fourth year the Larry Chapman Foundation has joined with Montgomery Academy to sponsor the tournament. This year, tournament organizers added a junior varsity division that features six local schools that will each play two games in the tournament. 

“I think it’s exciting that we’ve been able to grow and add the JV portion of the tournament on Monday and Tuesday,” Arant said. “It’ll be interesting to see, going forward, if we’re able to promote that and propel that into a middle school deal that can see it grow and change for the better.”

COACH LARRY CHAPMAN FOUNDATION TIP OFF TOURNAMENT

at Montgomery Academy 

BOYS

Monday

Game 1 -- Alabama Christian vs. J.A.G., 4 p.m.

Game 2 -- Notasulga vs. Brew Tech, 4 p.m.

Game 3 -- Prattville Christian vs. Pike Road, 1 p.m.

Game 4 -- Lanett vs. Montgomery Academy, 1 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 5 -- Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 4, 1 p.m.

Game 6 -- Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 4, 1 p.m.

Game 7 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3, 4 p.m.

Game 8 -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3, 4 p.m.

Wednesday

Game 9 -- Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 10:30 a.m.

Game 11 -- Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, noon

Game 12 -- Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8, 10:30 a.m.

Game 13 -- Finals, Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 3 p.m. 

GIRLS

Monday

Game 1 -- Prattville Christian vs. St. James, 11:30 a.m.

Game 2 -- Alabama Christian vs. Brew Tech, 11:30 a.m.

Game 3 -- Catholic vs. Pike Road, 2:30 p.m.

Game 4 -- J.A.G. vs. Montgomery Academy, 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday

Game 5 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3, 11:30 a.m.

Game 6 -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3, 11:30 a.m.

Game 7 -- Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.

Game 8 -- Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 4, 2:30 p.m.

Wednesday

Game 9 -- Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 9 a.m.

Game 11 -- Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, noon

Game 12 -- Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8, 9 a.m.

Game 13 -- Finals, Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 1:30 p.m. 

JUNIOR VARSITY

BOYS

Monday

Game 1 -- Pike Road vs. J.A.G., 10:15 a.m. 

Game 2 -- Brew Tech vs. Montgomery Academy, 10:15 a.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 10:15 a.m.

Game 4 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 10:15 a.m.

GIRLS

Monday

Game 1 -- St. James vs. Pike Road, 9 a.m. 

Game 2 -- Alabama Christian vs. Montgomery Academy, 9 a.m.

Tuesday

Game 3 -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 9 a.m.

Game 4 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 9 a.m.