UH-Hilo to host Big Island Holiday Classic basketball tourney

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thanksgiving is all about the turkey and football. But why not add a little college basketball action to your holiday plate?

The Big Island Holiday Classic basketball tournament is coming to Hilo’s Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium starting next week with a total of 22 games on tap in November and December.

Hosted by the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo with tournament director Malika Sport Tours, the two-part slate begins Nov. 22-25 with two men’s basketball games and four women’s hoops contests. A total of 21 NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics teams will participate.

“We are very excited about this year’s Big Island Classic,” said UH-Hilo women’s basketball coach David Kaneshiro in a press release. “The quality and quantity of teams that will be playing in Hilo should make for a great event for Big Island basketball fans.”

The Dec. 17-19 tourney schedule will feature a four-team men’s basketball tournament and the women’s slate will be heavy-loaded with 12 games.

All games will be streamed online through Out of the Sea Media Arts. For more information, click here.

More information, including participating teams, tournament history and a full schedule, can be found on the Big Island Holiday Classic web page.