By LLOYD ENGEN

ALAMOSA — An expanded basketball tournament filled with Valley rivalries and teams that are surging into the top 10 rankings in their classifications is sure to provide all the excitement a basketball fan could want this weekend.

Right before prep sports break for the Christmas holidays, it’s time once again for the Alamosa High School Holiday Shootout Tournament. The state’s high school basketball teams won’t be back in action again until the week of Jan. 5.

This year the Alamosa Holiday Shootout has been expanded to eight teams — four boys and four girls — with all but two of the games being played in the Alamosa High School gym. The two exceptions are a pair of games this Thursday that will be played in the Ortega Middle School gym.

The tournament features the girls and boys teams of Alamosa, Monte Vista, Sanford and Buena Vista.

The tournament had taken place at Adams State College the last couple years, but this year that arrangement couldn’t be worked out.

The host Alamosa Mean Moose teams are off to a promising start. Coach Wade Mortensen’s Mean Moose boys are unbeaten at 4-0, with all games played on the road and including a pair of wins at the Buena Vista Tournament and recent wins at Centauri and Bayfield. Always near the top of the 4A South-Central League, the Mean Moose once again see familiar teams at the very top, 4A No. 1 ranked Pueblo South and No. 3 Pueblo East.

The Maroon girls are 2-2 thus far, coached this year by veteran coach Brandon Barr. The Maroons have defeated Pagosa Springs and Centauri, and lost to Bayfield and Buena Vista.

Coach Robert Crowther’s undefeated Buena Vista girls are ranked No. 2 in Class 3A by Kevin Shaffer’s Coloradopreps and recently defeated Pagosa Spings and 4A Montezuma-Cortez.

Coach James Canaday’s Monte Vista girls also are flying high, winning the Grizzly Shootout before defeating Sargent and Sangre de Cristo last weekend to remain unbeaten and ranked No. 7 in the state.

The Sanford girls, coached by Blake Canty, also are off to a good start. They lost to Lamar in the first game of the La Junta Shootout, and then came back to defeat Fowler and La Junta to take the consolation trophy.

Coach Ty McConnell’s Monte Vista boys are making waves again this season with their fast-paced game, claiming third place in the Grizzly Shootout, the only team in the tournament to give eventual champion Mesa Vista a run for its money in a high-scoring 87-74 contest.

Coach Rhett Larsen’s Sanford boys, still missing key players Todd Crowther and Austin Edgar to injuries suffered during football season, were ranked No. 1 in Class 2A to open the season and have slipped a few spots after losing to Lamar in the opening round of the La Junta Shootout. Sanford came back to wallop Fowler by 54 points and then defeat Swink by 21 points for the consolation trophy.

Coach Scott Crites’ Buena Vista boys round out the field, with the action getting started this Thursday with four games, followed by four games on Friday and the final four games on Saturday.

During Friday’s games at Alamosa High School, there will be a fundraiser supper served from 4 to 8 p.m. in the AHS commons area to help pay medical expenses for Kirk Barr who was badly burned in the explosion that leveled a home under construction in the South Fork area. Kirk Barr is Alamosa coach Brandon Barr’s father, and already has gone through several surgeries in a Denver-area hospital. Donations will be very appreciated in helping Kirk Barr get back on his feet.



ALAMOSA HOLIDAY SHOOTOUT

Thursday, Dec. 18

—5 p.m., GIRLS: Alamosa vs. Monte Vista, at AHS gym

—6:30 p.m., BOYS: Alamosa vs. Monte Vista, at AHS gym

—6 p.m., GIRLS: Sanford vs. Buena Vista, at Ortega MS gym

—7:30 p.m., BOYS: Sanford vs. Buena Vista, at Ortega MS gym



Friday, Dec. 19 (all games at AHS gym)

—3:30 p.m., GIRLS: Monte Vista vs. Buena Vista

—5 p.m., BOYS: Monte Vista vs. Buena Vista

—6:30 p.m., GIRLS: Alamosa vs. Sanford

—8 p.m., BOYS: Alamosa vs. Sanford



Saturday, Dec. 20 (all games at AHS gym)

—10 a.m., GIRLS: Monte Vista vs. Sanford

—11:30 a.m., BOYS: Monte Vista vs. Sanford

—1 p.m., GIRLS: Alamosa vs. Buena Vista

—2:30 p.m., BOYS: Alamosa vs. Buena Vista