Teams from Alabama, Florida and Mississippi traveled to Selma Saturday to take part in the TNA Heat’s Summer Invitational basketball tournament.

The tournament consisted of 37 teams from 16 different organizations playing games at R.B. Hudson Middle School, School of Discovery, Wallace Community College Selma and Ellwood Christian Academy.

“A lot of the teams take it as a historical visit and when they get here they are excited,” said TNA Heat director Randy Fincher. “They are excited to come out and play and about how well-organized the tournaments are ran.”

The TNA Heat is a travel basketball team based out of Tuscaloosa and Selma. Fincher said the organization always hosts a tournament in Tuscaloosa and Selma each year.

The TNA Heat had a youth girls, sixth grade boys, seventh grade boys, eighth grade boys, middle school girls, ninth grade boys, tenth grade boys and eleventh grade boys teams participating in the tournament.

“Our organization is based out of Selma … so it gives them a chance to come back and play in front of our home fans,” said coach Shae Clayton, who coaches the TNA Heat’s seventh and eighth grade teams. “The only time we get to see our Selma teams is when we are in a tournament together.”

Based on early showings, it could also be a very successful weekend for the teams on the court. The tournaments don’t wrap up until Sunday afternoon, but many of the TNA Heat’s teams had a successful Saturday. Using pressure defense, Clayton’s seventh grade boys’ team came from behind to beat the Alabama Fusion 33-26. The seventh grade team is looking for its third tournament championship this summer.

“We met them in Birmingham and they come to Tuscaloosa, so it’s like a rivalry,” Clayton said of the TNA Heat’s win over the Fusion. “Any time we beat them is always good.”

Fincher’s eleventh grade team, which includes three players from Selma, held on for a 55-46 win over the Showstoppers in their opener at WCCS.

“We stuck to our game plan, and we believe in what we did. We stuck to the system and pulled out the victory,” Fincher said.

A total of 59 games are scheduled to take part this weekend, which includes all of the championship games set for Sunday. Games on Sunday start at 9. a.m. Admission is $10.