The Brookhaven Academy Holiday Tournament hopes to capitalize onbeing exclusive. It’s the only local basketball tournament inaction during this holiday week so it should attract plenty ofbasketball fans.

The tournament features 13 boys teams and 15 girls teams fromthree states in a single-elimination format. Ten games will beplayed today, starting at 9 a.m. The Simpson County and NatchezTrinity girls tip it off in the opener, followed by the Porter’sChapel and Parklane girls at 10:15 and the Ben’s Ford (La.) andPrentiss Christian School girls at 11:45.

Today’s afternoon session sends the Prentiss Christian Schoolboys against Mt. Olive (La.) at 12:45, followed by the Amite SchoolCenter and Adams County Christian School girls at 2, the ASC andPorter’s Chapel boys at 3:15 and the Copiah Academy and Marvell(Ark.) girls at 4:30. The evening session sends Huntington (La.)against the Central Hinds girls 5:45, followed by the Copiah andPrairie View boys at 7 and the Brookhaven Academy and Prairie View(La.) girls at 8:15.

The Brookhaven Academy boys, coached by Dale Watts, practiced at6:30 this morning. The Cougars play Thursday night at 8:15,awaiting the winner of the Amite-Porter’s Chapel game. The Cougarsare led by senior post players Paul Coker and Turner Havard. Theyare joined in the starting lineup by Ben Davis, Layne Moreton andJake Sessums.

The Cougars (10-4) were runners-up to Central Private in lastyear’s tournament.

The Lady Cougars (17-1), coached by Barry Gray, won thetournament title last year en route to winning their secondstraight Class AA state championship. Six seniors lead the LadyCougars: Katie Newman, Lindsay Altman, Amy Smith, Lindsey Phillips,Alyson Lofton and Anna K. Gatlin.