In the mood for some top-notch holiday hoops? The Kreul Classic High School Basketball Tournament goes on from December 19 to 23. The tourney includes 16 boys teams and 16 girls teams from around the continent. Play begins Friday at 4 p.m. with games at Coral Springs Gymnasium (2501 Coral Springs Dr., Coral Springs), Douglas High (5901 Pine Island Rd., Parkland), Coral Springs High (7201 West Sample Rd., Coral Springs), and Ely High (1201 NW Sixth Ave., Pompano Beach). Quarterfinals are held at all four venues Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. The semifinal round begins 9 a.m. Monday in the Coral Springs Gymnasium, which is also the site for Tuesday's championship finals. Third-place games at 2:30 p.m., girls final at 5:30 p.m., boys final at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children, per game. Weeklong passes are also available. Call 954-346-4428. -- Russ Evans
Three! Three Egrets!
For birding enthusiasts, it's an early Christmas
SUN 12/21
Equipped with good walking shoes, binoculars, and pencil and paper, bird enthusiasts trek through the suburbs of South Florida noting each heron, egret, jay, and grackle. The Audubon Society's 104th Annual Christmas Bird Count -- at locations throughout the United States and other parts of the Western Hemisphere -- happens December 21 in Broward and January 3 in Palm Beach. Teams of volunteers are dispatched to various urban and suburban areas to record each bird they see during their hikes. People with some knowledge of South Florida birds are invited.
For information, visit www.browardaudubon.org or call 954-776-5585 in Broward. For Palm Beach, auduboneverglades.org or call 561-585-7714. -- Patti Roth
Racin' the Little Guys
SAT 12/20
Whether it be monster trucks or those dragsters that seem to be about 100 feet long, motor racing tends to be a sport for the large -- you've at least got to have room to fit that considerable engine. But to hell with all that. Those big guns have had all the fun for far too long. That's what makes events such as the Sport Compact Winter Showdown so much fun. These compact cars may not look like much, but in that engine they've got enough horses to trample a small army. Racers compete head-to-head Saturday and Sunday in four categories: the pro outlaw, quick 16, all motor, and street legal. Winner and runner-up of the street legal category get a free pair of Drag Radial tires. Call 561-622-1400. -- Dan Sweeney
