The EAC Holiday Basketball Tournament, a cornerstone of Eastern Arizona’s sports culture, returns December 19–21. This year’s 62nd edition for boys and 48th for girls brings exciting changes, including an expanded field of 12 teams for each tournament, setting the stage for more chances to see great basketball.
Expanded Format
For the first time, the tournament will feature 12 boys’ and 12 girls’ teams divided into four pools of three teams each. Pool play begins Thursday, December 19, with each team guaranteed two games.
The top two teams from each pool will advance to an eight-team championship bracket starting Friday, December 20, and concluding with title games on Saturday, December 21 at Eastern Arizona College. Third-place teams from each pool will compete in a round-robin format on Friday and Saturday at area high schools.
- Boys’ Pools:
- Pool A (Pima): Pima, Hayden, Empire
- Pool B (Thatcher): Thatcher, Apache Junction, St. David
- Pool C (Safford): Safford, Morenci, TBD
- Pool D (EAC): Tanque Verde, Ft. Thomas, St. Johns
- Girls’ Pools:
- Pool A (Pima): Pima, Dysart, TBD
- Pool B (Thatcher): Thatcher, Snowflake, Hayden
- Pool C (Safford): Safford, Centennial, St. David
- Pool D (EAC): Ft. Thomas, Morenci, Empire
Game Schedule
Thursday, Dec 19th
Pima HS
- 12:00 PM – Girls: Pima vs TBD
- 1:30 PM – Boys: Pima vs Empire
- 3:00 PM – Girls: TBD vs Dysart
- 4:30 PM – Boys: Empire vs Hayden
- 6:00 PM – Girls: Dysart vs Pima
- 7:30 PM – Boys: Hayden vs Pima
Thatcher HS
- 12:00 PM – Girls: Thatcher vs Hayden
- 1:30 PM – Boys: Thatcher vs St. David
- 3:00 PM – Girls: Hayden vs Snowflake
- 4:30 PM – Boys: St. David vs Apache Junction
- 6:00 PM – Girls: Snowflake vs Thatcher
- 7:30 PM – Boys: Apache Junction vs Thatcher
Safford HS
- 12:00 PM – Boys: TBD vs Safford
- 1:30 PM – Girls: Safford vs St. David
- 3:00 PM – Boys: Morenci vs TBD
- 4:30 PM – Girls: St. David vs Centennial
- 6:00 PM – Boys: Safford vs Morenci
- 7:30 PM – Girls: Centennial vs Safford
Eastern Arizona College (EAC)
- 12:00 PM – Girls: Empire vs Morenci
- 1:30 PM – Boys: Fort Thomas vs St Johns
- 3:00 PM – Girls: Fort Thomas vs Empire
- 4:30 PM – Boys: St Johns vs Tanque Verde
- 6:00 PM – Girls: Fort Thomas vs Morenci
- 7:30 PM – Boys: Tanque Verde vs Fort Thomas
Admission and Ticketing
This year’s tournament is going cashless, with tickets sold exclusively through GoFan.
- Thursday & Friday: $10 for a day pass, providing access to all games at any of the four venues.
- Saturday: Two sessions:
- Session 1: $5 (Games through the 4:00 pm match).
- Session 2: $5 (Championship session starting at 6:30 pm).
- Gyms will be cleared after Session 1 to manage limited capacity for the championship games.
- Shot Clock: Games will feature a 35-second shot clock
- Seating: All games will have first-come, first-served seating.
A Tradition of Excellence with a New Look
Now in its 62nd year for boys and 48th for girls, the EAC Holiday Basketball Tournament continues to celebrate its rich history while embracing new opportunities. With 12 teams in each division, this expanded format promises more exciting matchups, fierce rivalries, and a chance for fans to witness the best high school basketball the region has to offer.
For tickets and additional details, visit GoFan.com.
