Warsaw’s Tim Swanson will be action when the Tigers host their own tourney Dec. 27 (File photo by Ansel Hygema)

The holiday season will mean family, friends and hopefully a little R & R for everyone before we head full steam into 2015.

The Christmas break time over the next two weeks will also mean plenty of high school basketball around the area for both the boys and the girls.

The Tiger Den will be a busy place at WCHS as the boys play host to their own tournament on Dec. 27 and then the annual TCU Girls’ Classic is set for Dec. 30.

The Warsaw boys, who take a 4-1 mark into tonight’s key Northern Lakes Conference opener at county rival Wawasee, will welcome in a strong field in South Bend Riley, Merrillville and Kokomo. The three currently have a combined record of 8-6, led by the 4-0 mark of Merrillville.

“I like the idea of having our own tourney this year and we are very happy to host it,” said Warsaw boys coach Doug Ogle. “I like having a couple more home games on the schedule and I also like the format which is like the regional setup. We’re also thrilled with the quality of teams we were able to get for it.”

The tradition-rich Kokomo program is under the direction of first-year coach Matt Moore. Moore played at Columbia City High School and was a four-year starter at Grace College. He also served as an assistant coach for the Grace College men’s program and was the head coach at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio before taking the Kokomo job. Moore also served as an assistant coach at Logansport High School for former long time and highly-successful Warsaw boys coach Al Rhodes.

The Warsaw girls team, currently 5-5 before a home NLC game with Wawasee Saturday night, will face Lowell. The other bracket has an outstanding team in South Bend St. Joseph. Coach Ric Mauch’s Indians, ranked No. 13 in the latest statewide IBCA Poll, are 9-0.

The Tippecanoe Valley girls team, led by one of the area’s top players in sophomore Anne Secrest, will play in the Lakeland Invitational Jan. 3. The Vikings are 8-1 with the lone loss being a triple-overtime decision to Plymouth. Valley plays at Whitko Saturday night and at North Judson Monday night. The Vikings will play host Lakeland Jan. 3 with Concord versus West Noble in the other bracket.

Wawasee will host its own four-team girls shootout on Jan. 3. Tippecanoe Valley will host the Winning Edge Boys Holiday Tournament on Jan. 2-3.

Boys Basketball Tournaments

Warsaw Tournament
Dec. 27: 10 a.m.: Warsaw vs. South Bend Riley
Dec. 27: 11:30 a.m.: Merrillville vs. Kokomo
Dec. 27: 6 p.m.: Consolation Game
Dec. 27: 7:30 p.m.: Championship Game

Miami County Tournament
At Peru High School
Dec. 29: 6 p.m.: Whitko vs. Peru
Dec. 29: 8 p.m.: North Miami vs. Maconaquah
Dec. 30: 2 p.m.: Consolation Game
Dec. 30: 8 p.m.: Championship Game

Winning Edge Holiday Tourney
At Tippecanoe Valley High School
Jan. 2: 6 p.m.: NorthWood vs. Fairfield
Jan. 2: 7:30 p.m.: Rochester vs. Tippecanoe Valley
Jan. 3: 6 p.m.: Consolation Game
Jan. 3: 7:30 p.m.: Championship Game

Girls Basketball Tournaments

Warsaw TCU Classic
Dec. 30: 10 a.m.: Warsaw vs. Lowell
Dec. 30: 11:45 a.m.: South Bend St. Joseph vs. Perry Meridian
Dec. 30: 6 p.m.: Consolation Game
Dec. 30: 7:30 p.m.: Championship Game

Miami County Tournament
At Peru High School
Dec. 29: 12 p.m.: North Miami vs. Maconaquah
Dec. 29: 2 p.m.: Whitko vs. Peru
Dec. 30: 12 p.m.: Consolation Game
Dec. 30: 6 p.m.: Championship Game

Wawasee Shootout
Jan. 3: 10 a.m.: Plymouth vs. Norwell
Jan. 3: 11:45 a.m.: Wawasee vs. Brebeuf
Jan. 3: 6 p.m.: Brbeuf vs. Plymouth
Jan. 3: 7:45 p.m.: Wawasee vs. Norwell

Lakeland Invitational
Jan. 3: 12 p.m.: Tippecanoe Valley vs. Lakeland
Jan. 3: 2 p.m.: Concord vs. West Noble
Jan. 3: 6 p.m.: Consolation Game
Jan. 3: 8 p.m.: Championship Game

Lakeland Christian Academy Cougar Classic (Boys and Girls)
At Grace College
Jan. 2: 12 p.m.: LCA vs. Granger Christian (Girls)
Jan. 2: 1:30 p.m.: LCA vs. Clinton Christian (Boys)
Jan. 2: 3 p.m.: Covenant Christian vs. Granger Christian (Girls)
Jan. 2: 4:30 p.m.: Covenant Christian vs. Clinton Christian (Boys)
Jan. 2: 6 p.m.: LCA vs. South Bend Trinity (Girls)
Jan. 2: 7:30 p.m.: LCA vs. South Bend Trinity (Boys)

Jan. 3: 10 a.m.: South Bend Trinity vs. Granger Christian (Girls)
Jan. 3: 11:30 a.m.: South Bend Trinity vs. Clinton Christian (Boys)
Jan. 3: 1 p.m.: South Bend Trinity vs. Covenant Christian (Girls)
Jan. 3: 2:30 p.m.: South Bend Trinity vs. Covenant Christian (Boys)
Jan. 3: 4 p.m.: LCA vs. Covenant Christian (Girls)
Jan. 3: 5:30 p.m.: LCA vs. Covenant Christian (Boys)