The second annual Hot Springs Trojans Invitational Tournament is set to tip off Thursday, with games at Trojan Arena in the Hot Springs Junior Academy and the Hot Springs World Class High School gym, on Emory Street.
The Hot Springs Lady Trojans welcome exceptional talent from Horn Lake, Mississippi, Episcopal, Marion, Russellville, Bentonville West, Farmington and Watson Chapel.
"On the girl's side is it very stacked," head coach Josh Smith said. "This might be one of the strongest tournaments in the state. I know the coach at Horn Lake and they were looking for somewhere to come play. Year in and year out they are one of the best teams in Mississippi. They have won multiple state championships, we were looking for a team and they wanted to come."
Last season, the Horn Lake Eagles amassed a record of 21-4 losing in the second round of the Mississippi state 6A playoffs.
The Hot Springs (2-1, 0-0 5A South) will tip off first in game one against Horn Lake (4-2, 0-0 6A3 MS) in the new Junior Arena at 4 p.m.
Smith said he feels confident, though low in numbers this season.
"We are 2-1 right now, we are trying to figure out who we are each night," he said.
"We have seven girls on the roster this year so practices look a little different from what they normally do. All seven are key contributors to the team. We have length and shooters so we have a combination of pieces that we like, each game is a new practice. We have our hands full we play Horn Lake first round."
Episcopal (4-0, 0-0 3A6) and Marion (0-3, 0-0 5A East) tip things off from the high school gym in game two at 5:30 p.m.
The winner of game one will face the winner of game two back in the arena.
Junior Trojan small forward Nic Nelson is a leader for Hot Springs.
"She is kind of the silent leader of the group along with junior guard Kyabra Lomax has been our leading scorer so far, she does it with her hustle. She knocks down shots from the outside. She is that person who keeps our motor running." Smith said.
Russellville (3-0, 0-0 5A West) and Bentonville West (2-2, 0-0 6A West) will start game three's matchup at 7 p.m. at the arena.
Senior Jenna Lawrence 6'3'' from Farmington, who has signed with the Arkansas Razorbacks, averages 17 points per game.
Farmington (5-0, 0-0 4A1) and Watson Chapel (1-4, 0-0 4A8) get the 8:30 p.m. high school gym game.
Farmington won the Hot Springs Invitational and Class 4A state runner-up last season.
"It only takes five," Smith said. "I have been preaching that for years and I guess I get to stand by it this time. I do not like playing a bunch of kids. We scored 56 the other night, which is quite a bit for us in the past few years and we had four girls in double figures and that's a huge positive."
Friday will have a 4 p.m. tip time with game five in the arena, followed by a 5:30 p.m. start in the high school gym for game six.
There will be nonstop action in the three-day tournament, as game seven is set for Friday at 7 p.m. in the arena and game eight set for the high school gym at 8:30 p.m.
The tournament runs through Saturday and around everyone will go through 12 games to play from first to eighth place.
Smith highlighted his team.
"We have five girls who can lead us in scoring any given night. We have a couple of six-footers and we have shooters, we are a hard matchup for people I believe. We just have to figure out who we are defensively first. Then the rest of it will fall into place," he said.
Saturday's schedule will be the fifth-place game featuring the losers of game six and eight at 10 a.m. at the Junior Arena and the seventh-place game is in the high school gym at 11:30 a.m.
Things get interesting at 1 p.m., when the Hot Springs Invitational Champion will be crowned in game 11 in the arena featuring the winners of games seven and five.
Third-place matchup is the losers of game five and seven square off at 2:30 p.m. in the high school gym.
The Hot Springs Lady Trojans are few but they are mighty and ready to welcome all challengers in the Hot Springs Invitational.
"There will be a lot of basketball in three days and two gyms," Smith said.