BY WAYNE PHILLIPS
SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
The 2012 Landair Ladies' Classic returns to Hal Henard Gym in Greeneville the four days following Christmas: Wednesday through Saturday, Dec. 26-Dec. 29.
This will be the 24th annual Ladies Classic, which continues to be considered one of the most popular holiday girls' hoops tournaments in the southeast.
Tournament Director Ron Metcalfe said that this year's lineup of teams should appeal to Greene County and East Tennessee fans, who annually flock to Greeneville to take in the action, which consists of eight games the first three days and five games on the final day for a grand total of 29 ball games in four consecutive days.
"I think our lineup of teams this year ranks right up there with some of the best we've had," Metcalfe said. "Once again the mid-state area of Tennessee will send some of their best squads, plus we have out-of-state teams from North Carolina, Kentucky and Ohio."
The Landair Ladies' Classic will have eight local and area teams serving as home teams for the opening round of play on Wednesday, Dec. 26: South Greene, Greeneville, North Greene, West Greene and Chuckey-Doak from Greene County, and Cocke County, Morristown East and Morristown West from the surrounding area.
A newcomer this year to the Ladies' Classic is Holy Name High School of Parma Heights, Ohio. Oakland High School of Murfreesboro makes its first appearance here since 1990, the second year the tournament was held.
Last season's runnerup, Mt. Juliet, returns to the field. The 2011 tournament champion, Science Hill of Johnson City, chose to play in another locale this holiday season.
Other mid-state teams, in addition to Oakland and Mt. Juliet, are Wilson Central of Lebanon and Shelbyville Central of Shelbyville.
Christian Academy of Knoxville (CAK), expected to be one of the top Class AA programs in the state, is back in the field for the second straight season.
Out of state teams back for another go at it in 2012 are Rockcastle County of Mt. Vernon, Ky., and Charlotte Christian School of Charlotte, N.C.
Here is the schedule of games for the tournament:
Wednesday, Dec. 26
10 a.m. - (Game 1) Morristown East vs. CAK
11:30 a.m. - (Game 2) Morristown West vs. Mt. Juliet
1 p.m. - (Game 3) Cocke County vs. Murfreesboro Oakland
2:30 p.m. - (Game 4) West Greene vs. Wilson Central
4 p.m. - (Game 5) North Greene vs. Rockcastle Co. (Ky.)
5:30 p.m. - (Game 6) Greeneville vs. Holy Name (Ohio)
7 p.m. - (Game 7) South Greene vs. Shelbyville Central
8:30 p.m. - (Game 8) Chuckey-Doak vs. Charlotte Christian (N.C.)
Thursday, Dec. 27
10 a.m. (Game 9) Loser SG/Shelby. vs. loser Cocke/Oakland
11:30 a.m. - (Game 10) Loser ME/CAK vs. loser WG/Wilson
1 p.m. - (Game 11) Loser GHS/H.Name vs. loser MW/Mt. Juliet
2:30 p.m. - (Game 12) Loser NG/Rockcastle vs. loser CD/Charlotte
4 p.m. - (Game 13) Winner NG/Rockcastle vs. winner CD/Charlotte
5:30 p.m. (Game 14) Winner GHS/H. Name vs. winner MW/Mt. Juliet
7 p.m. - (Game 15) Winner ME/CAK vs. winner WG/Wilson
8:30 p.m. - (Game 16) Winner SG/Shelby. vs. winner Cocke/Oakland
Friday, Dec. 28
10 a.m. - (Game 17) Loser Game 9 vs. Loser Game 10
11:30 a.m. - (Game 18) Loser Game 11 vs. Loser Game 12
1 p.m. - (Game 19) Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10
2:30 p.m. (Game 20) Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12
4 p.m. - (Game 21) Loser Game 13 vs. Loser Game 14
5:30 p.m. - (Game 22) Loser Game 15 vs. Loser Game 16
7 p.m. - (Game 23) Semifinal: Winner Game 15 vs. Winner Game 16
8:30 p.m. (Game 24) Semifinal: Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14
Saturday, Dec. 29
1:30 p.m. - (Game 25) Consolation Bracket Finals
3 p.m. - (Game 26) Seventh Place Game
4:30 p.m. - (Game 27) Fifth Place Game
6 p.m. - (Game 28) Third Place Game
7:30 p.m. (Game 29) Championship
