The 87th annual Bossier Invitational begins Thursday at Bossier High.
Twelv teams will vie for the title. The field includes two Houston-area schools, Xavier Academy and Legacy School of Sports Science (11-9).
Houston-based Evan Gordon III Preparatory Academy also has a team in the field.
Ruston, a non-select Division I state championship contender, is also competing and among the favorites to take the title. The Bearcats feature one of the state’s top players in Ahmad Hudson.
Ruston is 5-1 but the Bearcats are undefeated with their full team.
Other teams competing are Mansfield (6-6), Loyola College Prep (5-7), Evangel Christian Academy (3-8), Parkway (6-6), Huntington (7-4),,Northwood (5-6) and Airline (8-6).
Host Bossier (10-4), the runner-up in non-select Division II last season, received a first-round be and faces the Loyola-Mansfield in the quarterfinals Friday at 7:30 p.m.
In first-round games Thursday, Parkway takes on Xavier at 5, and Airline plays Legacy at 6:30.
There will be a new champion. Calvary Baptist defeated Bossier 67-29 in the championship game last season.
