The three-day high school tournament runs through Saturday night at Paul Post Fieldhouse and basketball fans will be treated to eight games each day.
This is the first year for the event and Sallisaw boys coach Jeff Chronister is expecting some good games in both the boys and the girls bracket.
"I feel like it's really balanced on both sides," said Chronister. "You have to look at Boynton and say they have a leg up on the boys side."
Boynton is a defending state semifinalist in Class B and the Cardinals are currently ranked fourth by CoachesAid.com.
The host Black Diamonds will open play in the first round at 6 p.m. Thursday against Hilldale.
Other teams in the boys bracket are Checotah, Westville, Stigler and junior varsity squads from Tahlequah and Muskogee.
One of the favorites in the girls division is Westville, which enters the tournament ranked No. 5 in Class 3A by CoachesAid.com.
The Sallisaw Lady Diamonds will face Checotah in the first round at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Sallisaw also entered its junior varsity team in order to round out the girls bracket. Other girls teams coming to the tournament are Stigler, Boynton, Hilldale and Oklahoma City Northwest Classen.
BLACK DIAMOND INVITATIONAL
Dec. 8-10 At Sallisaw High School
Girls Bracket Thursday: Game 1 - Westville vs. Sallisaw JV, 10:30 a.m.; Game 2 - Stigler vs. Boynton, 1:30 p.m.; Game 3 - Hilldale vs. NW Classen, 4:30 p.m.; Game 4 - Sallisaw vs. Checotah, 7:30 p.m.
Friday: Consolation Semifinals: Game 5 - Stigler/Boynton loser vs. Hilldale/NW Classen loser, 10:30 a.m.; Game 6 - Sallisaw/Checotah loser vs. Westville/Sallisaw JV loser, 1:30 p.m.; Championship Semifinals: Game 7 - Stigler/Boynton winner vs. Hilldale/NW Classen winner, 4:30 p.m.; Game 8 - Sallisaw/Checotah winner vs. Westville/Sallisaw JV winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Game 9 (Seventh place) - Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, 10:30 a.m.; Game 10 (Fifth place) - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 1:30 p.m.; Game 11 (Third place) - Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 4:30 p.m.; Game 12 (Championship) - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 7:30 p.m.
Boys Bracket Thursday: Game 1 - Checotah vs. Stigler, noon; Game 2 - Boynton vs. Tahlequah JV, 3 p.m.; Game 3 - Sallisaw vs. Hilldale, 6 p.m.; Game 4 - Westville vs. Muskogee JV, 9 p.m.
Friday: Consolation Semifinals: Game 5 - Boynton/Tahlequah JV loser vs. Checotah/Stigler loser, noon; Game 6 - Sallisaw/Hilldale loser vs. Westville/Muskogee JV loser, 3 p.m.; Championship Semifinals: Game 7 - Sallisaw/Hilldale winner vs. Westville/Muskogee JV winner, 6 p.m.; Game 8 - Boynton/Tahlequah JV winner vs. Checotah/Stigler winner, 9 p.m.
Saturday: Game 9 (Seventh place) - Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon; Game 10 (Fifth place) - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 3 p.m.; Game 11 (Third place) - Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 6 p.m.; Game 12 (Championship) - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 9 p.m.
