Print Issue: December 12, 2002

'Christmas Classic' Features Three Days Of Hoop Action

ATLANTA - The third annual Adidas/Outback Steakhouse St. Pius X Christmas Classic brings together Catholic high school girls' and boys' basketball teams from across the nation to compete for a three-day tournament.

This year's event, held Dec. 26-28 at St. Pius X High School, is drawing teams from Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Florida, South Carolina and Georgia.

The boys' teams include St. Pius X High and Our Lady of Mercy from the Archdiocese of Atlanta; Benedictine Military Academy, Savannah; Archbishop Hannan High School of Meraux, La.; Bishop Alter High School, Kettering, Ohio; Bishop Kenny High School, Jacksonville, Fla. (runners up for the 2000 and 2001 Christmas Classic); Cardinal Newman High School, Florence, S.C.; and Christopher Columbus High School, Miami. The girls' basketball teams are: Bishop Kenny, Blessed Trinity of Roswell; St. Pius X, (runner up for the 2001 Christmas Classic); Cardinal Newman; St. Peter Chanel, Bedford, Ohio; St. Vincent Academy, Savannah; Towson Catholic, Towson, Md.; and Villa Maria Academy, Erie, Pa. Villa Maria was the 2001 Christmas Classic Champion for the girls' teams.

The game schedules are Thursday, Dec. 26, 3:15 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 27, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m. (with dinner and dance for teams beginning at 8:30 p.m.); Saturday, Dec. 28, consolation games at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Mass is at 5 p.m. and championship games are at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

For information and ticket prices, call Kevin Carroll, SPX assistant basketball coach and tournament director, at (404) 636-3023, ext. 361, or visit the SPX Web site at www.spx.org and click on Athletics.

St. Pius X Catholic High School is located at 2674 Johnson Road, NE, Atlanta.