Strong field anticipated for Freeport Basketball Blowout

Teams that know how to win will be battling it out for the hardware in the 15th annual Hilton Sandestin Beach Basketball Blowout at Freeport High School Dec. 28-31.

“It should be a strong tournament,” said Coach David Burke of the Freeport Bulldogs, host team for the four-day tournament.

Out of the 16 boys teams scheduled for this year’s event, 10 of them won 20 or more games last year. And out of those 10 teams, most are returning all their starters or at least half their starters.

“It’s going to be an interesting tournament … it’s going to be tough,” Burke said.

Out of the 24 teams slated, only four teams are newcomers to the tournament.

Calvary Christian of Florida as well as Riverdale of Tennessee are new to the boys competition, while Cookeville of Tennessee and Calvary Christian are newcomers to the girls division.

The tournament tips off at 10 a.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with eight games each day. On Thursday, championship day, play begins at 10:30 a.m. with seven games scheduled.

The 16 boy teams set to play include last year’s runner up Cookeville High of Tennessee, Oliver Springs and Riverdale of Tennessee; Mandeville of Louisiana; St. Paul’s Episcopal, Bayside Academy, Pleasant Grove, Parkway Christian, U.M.S. Wright Prep, Spanish Fort and Piedmont all of Alabama; and Maclay, Paxton, Calvary Christian, Walton County and Freeport all of Florida.

“I’m looking for Pleasant Grove to be the team to beat,” Burke said.

Pleasant Grove finished 23-5 last year and has five of their starters back. They also have eight players that are more than 6-foot with the tallest topping out at 6-foot-7.

As for a local favorite, Burke said Paxton looks good.

The Paxton Bobcats made it to the state playoffs last year and have four starters back from that championship team.

“They should be strong,” he said.

As for the girls, their win record is just as impressive as the boys. Burke said six of the eight teams participating won 20 or more games last year.

Oliver Springs of Tennessee, last year’s Blowout winner, finished the season with a 29-10 record, and Glencoe of Alabama wrapped up last year with a 29-5 record and has all its starters back.

Cookeville, who is new to the tournament, also looks strong with a 27-8 finish last year.

Other teams filling out the girls bracket are U.M.S. Wright and Spanish Fort of Alabama; Clinton High of Tennessee; and Calvary Christian and Freeport of Florida.

The girl’s portion of the tournament starts Tuesday, at 2:30 p.m. with four games being played at the Freeport Middle School Aubry Rentz Gym. The girls play at the middle school on Wednesday with all Thursday games played at the high school.

Boy’s games scheduled for Monday, Dec. 28 at the high school are as follows:

10 a.m. - U.M.S. Wright vs. Parkway.

11:30 a.m. – St. Paul’s vs. Mandeville.

1 p.m. – Pleasant Grove vs. Oliver Springs.

2:30 p.m. – Cookeville vs. Calvary.

4 p.m. – Maclay vs. Riverdale.

5:30 p.m. – Walton vs. Piedmont.

7 p.m. – Paxton vs. Bayside.

8:30 p.m. – Freeport vs. Spanish Fort.

Girl’s games set for Tuesday at the middle school are:

2:30 p.m. – Clinton vs. U.M.S. Wright.

4 p.m. – Cookeville vs. Calvary.

5:30 p.m. – Glencoe vs. Oliver Springs.

7 p.m. – Freeport vs. Spanish Fort.