Gilbert Christian' boys basketball team plays host to seven other Christian high schools Thursday Dec. 6 through Saturday Dec. 8 at the 2nd annual Christian Cup Tournament.

Among the teams entered are defending state champs Gilbert Christian and Lynden Christian (Lynden, Wash.) and two state runners-up from last year  -- Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.; and Mesilla Valley Christian (Las Cruces, N.M.). Northwest Christian and Valley Christian join Gilbert Christian as Arizona's entries in the tournament. 

Among the standouts in the tournament are Briarcrest Christian's Austin Nichols, a 6-foot-8 power forward who signed with Memphis and Brethren Christian's 7-foot-5 center Mamadou Ndiaye, who has signed with UC-Irvine.

All games are at Gilbert Christian High, 3632 E. Jasper Drive, in Gilbert. Its located just east of Higley Road and just north of Ray Road. First-round games on Thursday Dec. 6 are: 3: 30 p.m. -- Santa Fe Christain (Solana Beach, Calif.) vs. Lynden Christian (Lynden, Wash.); 5 p.m. -- Valley Christian vs. Brethern Christian (Huntington Beach, Calif); 6:30 p.m. -- Mesilla Valley Christian vs. Gilbert Christian and 8 p.m. -- Briarcrest Christian vs. Northwest Christian.

Winners bracket games on Friday Dec. 7 are at 6:30 and 8 p.m. and losers bracket games are at 3:30 and 5 p.m.. The schedule for Saturday Dec. 8 is seventh-place game at 1:30 p.m.; consolation championship at 3 p.m.; third-place game at 4:30 p.m. and the title game at 6 p.m.