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SAND ROCK — The sixth-ranked Class 2A Woodland girls and the Sand Rock Wildcat boys varsity squads will be ready to defend their Cherokee County Invitational crowns when the basketball tournament begins in the spacious new Sand Rock gymnasium Saturday.

The three-day event is one of the premier round ball events in northeast Alabama and will feature Sand Rock, Cedar Bluff, Woodland, Chattooga (Ga.), Cherokee County, Gaylesville, Spring Garden and Glencoe in the girls bracket. The boys field consists of Sand Rock, Cherokee County, Spring Garden, Gaylesville, Glencoe, Cedar Bluff, Piedmont and Chattooga.

The Christmas Invitational tourney will tip-off at 9 a.m. when the Woodland girls meet Chattooga in a rematch of the 2009 tournament final.

At 10:30 a.m., Piedmont and Chattooga will clash in the boys opener.

The eighth-ranked Class 3A Glencoe Lady Yellow Jackets duel with the third-rated Class 1A Spring Garden Lady Panthers at noon.

Cross-county rivals Spring Garden and Gaylesville (boys) will face off at 1:30 p.m. At 3 p.m. the Lady Warriors take the floor against Gaylesville. At 4:30 p.m. the Class 1A No. 2-ranked Cedar Bluff boys battle Glencoe.

Six o'clock brings about the final girls game of the day, as Sand Rock plays Cedar Bluff. Saturday concludes with a re-match of 2009 boys championship game between Sand Rock and Cherokee County. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

A full slate of games is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday beginning each day at 9 a.m. Matchups will be determined by Saturday's results.