Straughn’s fourth annual Thanksgiving tournament is set to tip off next week, and girls coach Scott Kinsaul said his team is ready to start playing at a competitive level.

“I just want us to play as well as we can for our tournament,” he said.

Kinsaul said the reason why the tournament is put on is because there aren’t many games scheduled from when practice starts and the start of the regular season. However, the Lady Tigers have already played two games in a Samson tournament, where they lost to Opp and beat Rocky Bayou (Fla.).

It also provides a good measuring stick to see where the team is fundamentally, Kinsaul said.

The tournament consists of teams from Red Level, Luverne, Houston Academy, Elba, Flomaton, Brantley and Greenville. Straughn and Greenville are the biggest schools at the tournament in Class 4A and 5A, respectively.

Each team is guaranteed three games at the tournament, and Straughn will begin the tournament on Mon., Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. against Red Level.

“You play three teams with probably three different styles of play,” Kinsaul said. “We’re going to work on what we need to do to be successful.

“If we win the tournament — great. That’s what we’re aiming for,” he said. “We’re just getting ready to play, and see what our weaknesses are and what our strengths are in just playing basketball.”

To help alleviate the costs of the tournament and for necessary needs on the team, sponsors have helped aid in the tournament.

Most the money received at the tournament will go to pay for the officials, and allows each player and coach to receive a T-shirt with a list of the sponsors on them, Kinsaul said.