Columbia, SC - December 1, 2005: Richland Northeast High School will host the fourth
annual Chick-fil-A Classic Holiday Basketball Tournament from December 20 through December
23 in the RNE Gymnasium. The tournament features 16 high-school teams from South Carolina,
Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and the
Bahamas, divided into two eight-team bracket formats.
“The Chick-fil-A Classic Holiday Basketball Tournament is a showcase for the top
high school players in the Midlands and beyond,” said Gary Fulmer, the tournament
director and Richland School District Two Coordinator of Athletics. “Every year, the
tournament produces numerous Division I college basketball players. This is the chance to
see them develop. One of the stars from our first tournament, Josh Smith, went on to the
Atlanta Hawks and was named NBA Rookie of the Year.”
Besides RNE, schools represented are St. Anthony High School, Hamilton, Tabernacle
Baptist Academy, S. R. Butler, Lexington Catholic, Winter Park, Dunwoody, Norcross,
Charlotte Christian School, Greer, Lancaster, Bethune-Bowman, Lower Richland, Blythewood,
W. J. Keenan.
The first game, between RNE and Tabernacle Baptist, will start at 7 p.m. on December
20. Games start at 1 p.m. on December 21, at 10 a.m. on December 22, and at 9 a.m. on
December 23. The Chick-fil-A Classic I Championship game will be played on the 23rd at 8
p.m.
“These are the most exciting, heart-stopping games you’ll ever see,”
Fulmer said. “It’s Columbia’s premier basketball event. Last year, the
championship game sold out. This is only its fourth year, and already it’s starting
to grow into one of the main high-school basketball event in the Southeast.” Tickets
are $6 (general admission) per day, $3 for active-duty military with ID and children 12
years old and younger, available at the gym starting one hour before the day’s first
game. For game schedules and player information, check the Chick-fil-A Classic Web site: www.chick-fil-aclassic.com.