The 65th edition of the Sharon Lions Club/W.U. Hoyle Basketball Tournament of Champions is slated to begin this Wednesday at Sharon High School.

The format initiated a year ago, featuring county all-star teams from the region, remains intact. The boys teams this year include: Mercer, Lawrence, Crawford, Venango, Allegheny and Beaver counties from Pennsylvania, and Trumbull and Mahoning counties from Ohio.

The Mahoning County team will include some George Junior players because the county couldn't get a full team together and Hoyle organizers wanted to have an 8-team field.

On the girls side, all-star teams from Mercer, Lawrence, Erie and Trumbull counties will be on hand.

Available rosters, including the Mercer County teams, will be released in a tournament preview story on Tuesday.

Action begins in boys pool play, which is split into two 4-team divisions, at approximately 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with three games only. The reason for that is some of the Trumbull County players have a prior commitment to an all-star game in Ohio.

That will lead to a five-game slate on Thursday, with the opener scheduled for 5 p.m. and games to follow at about 1:15 intervals throughout the evening.

Four boys games will highlight Friday's schedule, beginning at 6 p.m., before the girls take center stage on Saturday.

Girls semifinals are set for 2 p.m. and 3:15 on Saturday with consolation and championship games to follow at 4:30 and 6. The boys title game, featuring the top finishers of each pool, will then conclude the week with an 8 p.m. tipoff.

Tickets, available from any Sharon Lions Club member, are $5 for adults and $3 for students for each day.

Because Easter falls early this year, the annual Hoyle Tournament Banquet will be held April 5 at the Radisson Hotel, Shenango Township. Guest speakers include former Farrell High, Duke University and NBA standout Jack Marin, as well as Cleveland Browns conditioning and strength coach Buddy Morris.

Morris, a longtime Hermitage resident, previously held a similar position at the University of Pittsburgh where he earned many accolades before just recently accepting the job with the Browns.

Highlight of the ceremony includes the presentation of the Lions' Erme Awards to the top male and female basketball players in Mercer County. The award is sponsored by Mike Erme III, who follows in the tradition started by his father, Mike Erme Jr., in supporting the tournament and local high school athletics.

Tickets for the banquet are also available by contacting any Sharon Lions member.