THERE WON’T BE TIME TO hang out for area basketball and soccer players, who return to their athletic homes of choice right after Christmas. Most basketball teams will be in tournament play across the state while soccer teams prepare for the regular season with a batch of scrimmages.
Wednesday: The Rockets will spend Christmas Day in the national spotlight against the Warriors at 4:00pm in a game that will have far less bang than that was originally thought out when schedules were announced this summer. Golden State owns the worst record in the Western Conference with Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins (departed) along with the injured Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson unavailable. KTRK 13 will the game live.
Thursday: Tourney time awaits both boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, as almost each school will be in action. In boys’ hoops, state-ranked Dickinson is in Allen for the annual In-n-Out Burger Invitational, while Galveston Ball travels to the Madisonville Holiday Tournament. State-ranked La Marque makes its way to the Houston County Tournament, with each tourney running through Saturday.
In girls’ basketball, Clear Creek is at the College Station Tournament, while Clear Springs and La Marque participate in the Vype Magazine Aldine ISD Holiday Hoops Classic. Galveston Ball and Texas City comprise two of the schools competing in the Brazosport Holiday Classic, with Hitchcock taking part in the East Chambers Tournament.
Friday: More basketball tournament play awaits, as the Eric Medina Christmas Classic will have Clear Brook, Clear Falls and Friendswood. In other boys’ basketball action, Clear Springs takes part in the Rebel Christmas Classic. In the only non-tourney game, Clear Springs visits Stratford at 2:00pm.
The boys’ soccer scrimmage slate has Manvel at Texas City at 12:00pm. There is a handful of girls’ soccer scrimmages, with Brazoswood at Friendswood starting at 11:00am, Santa Fe at Dickinson at 2:00pm and the annual Clear Falls vs. Knights alum taking place at 4:00pm.
Local fans can get a chance to see Dickinson’s Jalen Wydermyer in action when Texas A&M takes on Oklahoma State in the annual Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium beginning at 6:45pm. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Saturday: A busy slate of boys’ soccer scrimmages begins at 11:00am when Friendswood clashes with Mustangs alumni, followed by Pasadena Memorial at Clear Falls at 12:00pm. Kingwood at Clear Springs starts at 2:00pm while Santa Fe’s soccer alums take on the current Indians at 4:00pm.
The girls’ soccer scrimmage schedule kicks off at 1:00pm with Clear Springs at Atascocita and the annual Friendswood vs. Mustangs alum match. Clear Brook visits Texas City at 2:00pm.
The Rockets return from the road to welcome the Nets. AT&T Sportsnet Southwest will start its coverage with the pregame show at 6:30pm.
