Saturday wrapped-up the City of Jasper’s Christmas Classic, the annual event that’s becoming a hot ticket for basketball programs from around the Southeast to showcase their talent, face top-notch competition and enjoy a special atmosphere rivaled by what is experienced in the postseason.
There’s little doubt the City of Jasper met its goals…and far exceeded them.
Basketball prospects from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida – many of whom are not only committed to Power-5 and other Division-I, Division-II and JUCO programs – matched-up in some competitive contests, while freshmen and sophomore prodigies honed their skills against opponents they could easily be watching in March Madness in 2026.
Over the years, many of our Wal-Win basketball teams have earned bids to play in the Northwest Regional Basketball Tournament, one of the gateways to the state tournament held at the BJCC – while fans, players, coaches and the media have enjoyed the experienced almost unique to Drake Coliseum at Wallace State. The Christmas Classic is quickly becoming one of those “Don’t miss” destination for elite teams around the Southeast.
In each of the postgame interviews, coach and players sounded-off on their experience at the tournament – commentary which was overwhelmingly positive. Many had plans to stay extra time around the area and use the opportunity to take in historical landmarks or simply enjoy the time together as a team.
Maxpreps, widely-known across the nation for its in-depth coverage of high school sports nationally, ranked the City of Jasper Christmas Classic as one of the top holiday tournaments/classics in the nation. Future installments should continue to impress.
At the heart of the success of the Christmas Classic is a collaborative effort between Jasper High School, the City of Jasper, Jasper Main Street and its representative member organizations throughout the area, not to mention the people of Jasper and the welcome they show to the visitors.
What the Classic could look like 5 years from now could certainly blow us all away as it continues to evolve further. I know I’ll be excited to see it.
