On your mark: Beach Ball Classic a gift for this holiday season

Under typical circumstances, it doesn’t take much twisting of one’s arm to talk one into making a trip to scenic Myrtle Beach.

Of course, the days leading up to Christmas Day are not what one would deem as “normal circumstances.” The opportunity to spend time with family, fatten up for a new year (and spend months thereafter losing it) courtesy of momma’s best baked goods and a heaping helping of college football bowl games certainly is enough incentive to stay home.

But rarely does one have the opportunity to have his cake and eat it too. Blessed with better-than-average weather, a walk on the beach may be in the offing for those seeking to head down to the Grand Strand this week in anticipation of the Christmas holiday.

However, the rabid sports enthusiast this week may find himself soothed more by the rhythmic dribbling of a basketball than waves crashing onto the shore, or the view of an arcing 3-point shot hitting the bottom of the net than a picturesque sunset.

A Grand Strand holiday tradition since 1981, the annual Beach Ball Classic tips off Saturday at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

Initially a simple tournament consisting of eight teams – four in-state, four out of state – Beach Ball has evolved into a premier prep basketball event drawing teams near and far, most with their eyes set on state titles and national acclaim.

This year is no different.

A quartet of Palmetto State squads will certainly draw quite the interest, particularly local ones in the form of Myrtle Beach, Socastee and St. James.

Talented guard Jalek Felton will lead the other South Carolina program – Mullins – into the tournament. A North Carolina commitment, the junior is considered a 5-star prospect by ESPN.com.

In regard to 5-star basketball programs, Beach Ball will have that as well.

Monteverde Academy (Fla.), Mustang (Okla.) and Mater Dei (Calif.) each are highly regarded nationally, each previously or currently find themselves listed in national polls. Poca High, a defending state champion from West Virginia, could also make waves, featuring a bevy of players with Division I offers with plenty experience against top talent.

A trio of other programs liked their trip to Beach Ball last year so much, they’re back for another helping.

St. Edward (Ohio), St. Francis (Ga.) and Shadow Mountain (Ariz.) are making their second consecutive trip the prep basketball showcase. Of the three, Shadow Mountain may be the most intriguing, the team coached by former University of Arizona standout and NBA guard Mike Bibby.

Through the years, the likes of Vince Carter, Rasheed Wallace, Kobe Bryant, Raymond Felton and a host of others have showcased their basketball prowess at the Beach Ball Classic.

Who knows? Over the course of this year’s six-day event, maybe another hoops icon will emerge.

MUCH MORE THAN BEACH BALL

The annual Panther Classic at Carolina Forest High School tips off Monday morning. A host of Grand Strand and Pee Dee teams are represented in the tournament, but also features programs from Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Washington, D.C.

Games begin at 10:30 a.m. in the Carolina Forest High main gymnasium. Admission is $6 daily, or $15 for a three-day pass.

Also tipping off Monday is the Shootout by the Sea at North Myrtle Beach High School. Featuring a boys and girls tournament, the event has quite the regional flavor in matching up teams from the Midlands, Upstate and Grand Strand against out of state foes. Games tip off at 9:30 a.m.

This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 1:00 AM with the headline "On your mark: Beach Ball Classic a gift for this holiday season."