Every year the Dallas County Christmas Tournament seems to include some of the best games of the season. With four local schools competing this year, organizers are again expecting a tremendous event.

The basketball tournament will be held Monday and Tuesday at Wallace Community College Selma and will include Dallas County, Selma, Southside and Keith. On both nights, the first game will start at 4 p.m.

“We are bringing all four schools in so we are expecting big crowds from everyone on Monday and Tuesday,” said Southside head boys coach Cedric Brown, who is organizing the event this year. “It should be some fun-filled basketball.”

Dallas County and Selma will square off in the first round of both the girls and boys brackets. Southside and Keith will also meet in both brackets.

“Any time we get that kind of competition and don’t have to leave home, we’ll take it,” said Keith head boys coach Tommy Tisdale.

The No. 1 ranked Keith girls have made it a holiday tradition to win the Dallas County Christmas Tournament. The Bears have won the tournament the last handful of seasons, including defeating R.C. Hatch 57-46 to win it last year.

On the boys side, Dallas County has played in the championship game the last two years but lost by a single shot both times. In 2013, Wilcox Central beat the Hornets and last year it was R.C. Hatch edging them 47-45.

This year’s first round matchup between Selma and Dallas County will be the only time the schools will play this season. Last year, both Selma and Dallas County boys’ games came down to the final shot. The teams split those contests.

Selma defeated Dallas County in the two girls’ games last year.

Southside and Keith will meet in the other first round matchup. Keith won the only girls and boys matchups between the schools earlier this year in Orrville. With the tournament game added in, the Panthers and Bears will meet three times this year.

“We will play them on a neutral site this time,” Brown said. “Hopefully, we will have a better result.”

The first game Monday will be the girls’ game between Dallas County and Selma at 4 p.m.

The first game Tuesday will be the girls’ third place game, which will be followed by the boys third place game and the two championship games.