Go Forward Pine Bluff announced that 12 teams will play in the 2019 King Cotton Holiday Classic.

GFPB CEO Ryan Watley spoke about the expand from eight teams during a press conference on Thursday saying, “We had 14,000 people attend the three-day tournament in 2018. We feel we could do a better job. We do not need an intermission and fans are not going to leave and come back. We immediately said we could fill the gaps with more teams.”

GFPB C.E.O Ryan Watley

Watley says he is proud of the teams they added to the match ups. Pine Bluff head coach, Bill Dixson, says that he’s proud that the Zebras are playing in the tournament again this year. “This is huge”, says Dixson. “It is good for the community, it is good for the state and it is good for our program.”

https://www.trotterfordpinebluff.com/

The Jacksonville Titans took the 2018 King Cotton Holiday Classic Championship after the tournament’s 18-year hiatus. This year, the following teams will battle it out for the 2019 title:

  • Centennial High School (National Division) – Corona, California
  • NSU University School (National Division) – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Wooddale High School (National Division) – Memphis, Tennessee
  • Bryant High School (National Division) – Bryant, Arkansas
  • Raymond High School (National Division) – Raymond, Mississippi
  • Parkview Magnet (National Division) – Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Orr Academy High School (National Division) – Chicago, Illinois
  • Jacksonville High School (National Division) – Jacksonville, Arkansas
  • Pine Bluff High School (Regional Division) Pine Bluff, Arkansas
  • Yazoo County High School (Regional Division) Yazoo, Mississippi
  • Hightower High School (Regional Division) Missouri City, Texas
  • Dollarway High School (Regional Division) Pine Bluff, Arkansas

This year’s edition of the King Cotton Holiday Classic will be held at the Pine Bluff Convention December 27th-30th.