You’ve just got to love the holiday basketball tournaments our area has to offer.

Freeport has the Hilton Sandestin Beach Blowout with 16 boys basketball teams and eight girls teams, while Fort Walton Beach has eight boys and six girls teams.

And the competition  — is unbelieveable.

Besides the competition, I always like to see who comes to the games.

At Fort Walton Beach, you can always count on seeing Dave Stuart and the Kelly’s sitting on the top row behind the time clock. And Aaron Brock is almost always keeper of the clock during the tournament.

Then there are the past players who like to come back and watch the “now” Vikings play. In the crowd last night, I saw Geoff Brower, Casey Craig and Brett Stuart. I also recognized Carrie Long.

Another good aspect of the holiday tournaments is the hospitality rooms they provide for coaches, officials, tournament workers and the press. One thing for sure,  during tournament time there’s no need to worry about catching a meal on the road — the food is always great.

Who ever made the chocolate pound cake in the hospitality room at Freeport - great job.

There is still a couple of days left to catch the action at both Freeport and Fort Walton Beach — both tournament wrap up New Year’s Eve.

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