Games are set to tip off on Monday at 6 p.m., marking the 38th anniversary of the WYMT Food City Mountain Basketball Classic. Athletic Director Bobby Dixon at PCC has been working hard for at least two months to get everything in order. “It’s a lot of work,” Dixon said. “It takes a team effort.”

Junior Players' Perspective

Brooklyn Cornet and Taylor Couch, juniors on the Lady Commodores basketball team, have been putting in the effort to prepare for the tournament. They look forward to the experience every year. “It’s a really big tournament and there’s always a ton of people here and it’s really exciting to play in,” Cornet said. “There’s really good teams in every single year; there’s really good teams,” Couch added.

Boys' Tournament Schedule

On Monday, Dec. 9, Knott Central will face Harlan County at 6:00 p.m., followed by Clay County vs. Perry Central at 7:30 p.m. The consolation games from these two matchups will be played on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. On Tuesday, Dec. 10, Prestonsburg will take on Hazard at 6:30 p.m., and Pineville will play Breathitt County at 8:00 p.m. The consolation games from these two matchups will be on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. The semifinals will take place on Friday at 6:30 and 8:00 p.m., and the boys championship will be on Saturday night at 7:45 p.m.

Girls' Tournament Schedule

On Wednesday, Dec. 11, Prestonsburg will play North Laurel at 6:30 p.m., and Harlan will face Knott Central at 8:00 p.m. The consolation games from these two matchups will be on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. On Thursday, Dec. 12, Paintsville will play Knox Central at 6:30 p.m., and Perry Central will face Corbin at 8:00 p.m. The consolation games from these two matchups will be on Friday at 5:00 p.m. The semifinals will be on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and the girls championship will be at 6:00 p.m.It's not just about the games; Mountain Classic Chairman Archie Everage emphasized the importance of celebrating students in the mountains both academically and athletically. “I know of no other place that does that. And nobody does it better than Eastern Kentucky,” Everage said. Tickets for the tournament are $7 per day.Copyright 2024 WYMT. All rights reserved.