Southampton - The gym at Southampton High School has hosted its share of titanic clashes over the years, and on December 18 and 19, the First Annual Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament will pit four teams looking to make a statement early on in the 2009-10 season.

On Friday, December 18, two-time defending Long Island Class A champion East Hampton and The Dalton School will square off in the opening game of a doubleheader beginning at 6 p.m. Upon its conclusion, Southampton and Bridgehampton, a Class D finalist a year ago, will tip off at approximately 8 p.m. The following night, the consolation game will take place at 6 p.m. and the semifinal victors will vie for the tournament championship thereafter.

All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Southampton Youth Services Scholarship Fund and East End food pantries. Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children. Any child who brings a non-perishable food item will gain free admission; those foods will be donated to a local food pantry in time for the holidays.

Scott Johnson, the executive director at SYS, seized an opportunity set up a tournament after Southampton was not invited to participate in the Suffolk County Officials tournament traditionally held in the last week of December at St. Joseph's College in Patchogue. "We don't have the old rivalries like we used to have. Southampton and Bridgehampton used to have a pretty good rivalry, so it's kind of nice to rekindle that."

East Hampton began its season with a 75-43 victory over Pierson on Tuesday night with Aaron Hillman's 20 points. Southampton opens on December 11 when it hosts Class D state runner-up Greenport, while Bridgehampton dives right into League VIII play as it travels to Southold on December 15. The Dalton School is a prep school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan that is widely regarded for its academics.

The four teams who will go toe to toe have coaches who combine for more than 100 years on the sidelines. East Hampton's Ed Petrie is in his 51st season, the first 10 at Pierson and the last 41 with the Bonackers. Southampton coach Herm Lamison is in year 21, while Bridgehampton's Carl Johnson is beginning his 18th. All three have at least one state championship to their credit. Dalton coach Teddy Frischling, who has directed youth camps at SYS for the past five years, is celebrating his 11th season with the Tigers, who Johnson said could be "the team to beat."

Southampton and Bridgehampton hoopsters from grades three through six will compete during halftime; additionally, the New York San Ten Traditional Karate Institute will put on a demonstration during halftime of the first game on Friday.