BASKETBALL DOMINATES FINAL WEEKEND OF 2018

WEDNESDAY: ‘Twas the day after Christmas, so most area boys and girls basketball teams will either be practicing or hitting the road for the final weekend of tournament play before district action kicks in to open the 2019 calendar year. THURSDAY: Tourney time awaits most of the area’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams. For the boys, Clear Brook, Clear Creek, Friendswood and Galveston Ball are each at the Eric Medina Memorial Tournament in Pasadena. Hitchcock is at the Bay City Tournament, while state-ranked La Marque participates in the East Chambers Tournament. In girls’ hoops, Clear Brook is at the Barbers Hill Varsity Tournament, with Clear Creek and Clear Falls playing in the Aggieland Varsity Tournament in College Station. Clear Springs will be at the M.T. Rice Tournament in Waco, while Galveston Ball, Hitchcock, La Marque and Texas City are each at the Brazosport Tournament. The Rockets host the Celtics in a nationally televised game on TNT beginning at 7:00pm. It’s the first of two meetings this season between the two franchises that opened the year as potential NBA Finals contenders yet have stumbled to slow starts. AT&T Sportsnet Southwest will also have the game and will begin its coverage with the pregame show at 6:30pm. FRIDAY: There is one non-tourney game on the boys’ basketball slate, with Clear Falls at Deer Park beginning at 3:00pm. Saturday: The first unofficial kicks of the 2019 soccer season get under way with Texas City’s girls hosting George Ranch at 2:00pm. Santa Fe will host its annual alumni matches, as the current girls’ roster takes on past Indians standouts at 2:00pm, while the boys of yesteryear square off against the 2019 edition of the Santa Fe squad at 4:00pm. The Rockets hit the road for the last time in the calendar year with a short trip to take on the Pelicans beginning at 6:00pm. Houston lost to New Orleans in a 131-112 decision in the regular season opener on October 17. AT&T Sportsnet Southwest will begin the pregame show at 5:30pm. The game will also be available on NBATV.