Tournament fever

There are so many reasons that the end of December generates excitement, and it's not just the celebration of Christmas. For high school basketball players in Southeast Missouri, it's the thrill of playing in the Show Me Center in front of cheering hometown fans.

Last week, it was the Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic for girls' teams that produced the thrills. Jackson High School's girls, for the third consecutive year, celebrated at the end of the tournament as Holiday Classic champions.

Tonight, the boys' championship in the Southeast Missourian 2005 Christmas Tournament is on the line. All this week yellow school buses and hundreds of other vehicles have filled the Show Me Center's parking lots as 16 teams have vied for all the honor, glory and bragging rights that go along with tournament wins.

The tradition of holiday basketball tournaments is deep in these parts, and the Show Me Center has become a meeting place not just for the teams, but for all the fans who turn the tournaments into spirited social events.

Thanks to everyone who works so hard to plan holiday tournaments and make sure they go smoothly. Thanks to the players and coaches for giving every game their best shot. And thanks to the fans who give any tournament its emotional highs and who feel the pain of losing.

And remember: There's always next year's tournaments.