After a long wait, Straughn’s boys basketball team will bet tipping its season off Thursday at its annual Christmas tournament.

The Tigers’ football team just finished its season last week after falling to Leeds in the Class 3A state semifinals.

SHS coach Rusty Andrews said the boys are going to be small this season.

“I think once we get some playing time, we should be OK,” Andrews said. “We’ve just gotten a late start, which I’m glad of. I’m proud of our football team.

“I was hoping that I could’ve canceled our Christmas tournament because that would’ve meant that we would have gone all the way (to the football state finals),” he said.

Football players did start their practice with the basketball team on Monday, Andrews said.

There are five seniors on the Tigers’ basketball squad this year. They are J.D. Driver, Devin Scott, Brennan Maddox, J.C. Ray and Nick Stepp. Stepp broke his leg during the first round of the football playoffs, and Andrews said the senior told him that he’d probably be back during the Christmas holidays or in early January.

Andrews said Tucker Lawless will play at center, and Driver will more than likely play at the four spot, along with playing at point guard.

“We’re pretty much going to run the same stuff we always run,” the coach said about his offense.

The Tigers will be competing in Class 3A, Area 2 again with Opp, Southside Selma and Excel once again this year.

Andrews said Excel will be much improved, and that SSHS lost a few of its starters to graduation.

“I’m hoping we can at least play with them,” Andrews said about Southside Selma. “Excel is a team that I’m (worried about). They were young last year and look really improved.”

One good thing about the players this year is that they know Andrews’ system.

“They’ve learned the system and understand the system now,” Andrews said. “Hopefully, I won’t be doing as much screaming and hollering as I’ve always done.”

Andrews said since he’s been coaching the varsity boys, the team has improved every year. He said they are looking to have a good shot at playing in the South Regional Tournament in Dothan. The Tigers almost got there last year, but fell 61-55 to Cottage Hill in the sub regional.

Action for Straughn’s Christmas tournament will get underway Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The full schedule is as follows with Saturday’s play subject to change:

Thurs., Dec. 5

• New Brockton vs. Georgiana, 4:30 p.m.

• Red Level vs. Zion Chapel, 6 p.m.

• Pleasant Home vs. Straughn, 7:30 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 6

• Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 4:30 p.m.

• Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 1, 6 p.m.

• Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3, 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 7

Games are tentatively set to start at 1 p.m., followed by a 2:30 and 4 p.m. game. Andrews said he’s trying to set the start time up to 10 a.m. so people won’t miss the SEC Championship Game between Auburn and Missouri, which starts at 3 p.m.