THOMASTON — A.L. Johnson will host its annual basketball classic Friday. The action is set to tip off at 5 p.m.

“This is our sixth year. We’ve had real success,” A.L. Johnson athletic director Mose Jones said. “There’s always been a big crowd.”

This year’s tournament docket with see the host A.L. Johnson girls team take on area foe John Essex in a non-region matchup.

The two teams have met twice thus far this season with JEHS picking up the victory on both occasions.

That game will be followed by the John Essex varsity boys challenging the Dallas County varsity squad.

Rodney Dixon’s Hornets are riding high following a last-second win over Sweet Water last Friday night and hope to use the challenge to better themselves as they ready to return to area play.

The final game of the evening will pit the Eagles’ varsity boys against Sunshine High in another clash of area teams.

“We’ve had teams like R.C. Hatch and Demopolis,” Jones said of tournaments the school has hosted in years past.

“And you can imagine what kind of crowd that will bring.”

This year’s event was initially scheduled to take Monday, Dec. 22. However, organizers opted to move it to tonight.

“We just felt attendance would be better the day after Christmas,” Jones said. “In the past we’ve had it Dec. 26 and a lot of people have looked forward to it.”

Jones said organizing such an event takes a lot of cooperation from a number of individuals.

“It takes a lot of phone calls and communication with other coaches and getting the gym ready,” Jones said of putting together the event.

“It does a good job of getting us some exposure. It gives the kids something to look forward to.”