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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

One of the annual highlights of the high school basketball schedule is back for 2024, and now, the matchups have been revealed for the 256 vs. 205 Challenge.

Knight Eady, the owner and operator of the showcase, released the 2024 schedule for the 256 vs. 205 Challenge on Thursday, Sept. 14 ahead of the games next year.

The 256 vs. 205 Challenge features top teams from the Huntsville metro area battle the best of the Birmingham metro area for bragging rights and to test their skills against other top teams ahead of the state tournament.

This year’s showcase will feature four of the top teams from the Shelby County area, including the Spain Park boys, Oak Mountain boys and Thompson boys and girls teams.

While the showcase will open on Jan. 6 with a showdown between Oxford and Huffman, the first Shelby County matchups will come on Jan. 15 in Huntsville. On that day, Spain Park will travel to Buckhorn to face the Bucks and Oak Mountain will face Grissom on the road.

The showcase will continue on February 1 as both the Thompson boys and girls will host Florence in a doubleheader.

Spain Park is coming off of a strong season after the Jags reached the Final Four in Birmingham and coming just three points away from reaching the state championship game. Before losing to Central-Phenix City, 61-58, the Jags beat Huntsville and Sparkman in the state tournament.

Oak Mountain reached the Sweet 16 after winning its regional matchup. The Eagles fell to Huntsville in the opening round of the state tournament and hope to come back even stronger this year.

Both Thompson’s boys and girls basketball teams fell in the area tournament, but the Warriors return talented rosters and should be a key factor in the area championship this season.

Tipoff times were not announced as of press time but will be announced in the coming months.