The Ozark High School Tigers will play at the 25th Annual Tournament of Champions in Springfield on January 15, 16 and 17, 2009 in a field which includes teams from New York, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Springfield schools Central and Glendale will join Ozark as area representatives in the tournament, which will run on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the first time. Traditionally, the T of C has run Friday through Sunday.

Joining the southwest Missouri teams in the tournament field are White Station from Memphis, Tennessee, St. Raymond's from the Bronx, New York, Olympia from Orlando, Florida, McEachern from Powder Springs Georgia and Word of God Christian Academy from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Ozark was last in the T of C in 2003.

Coach Steve Hunter's team won a District Championship in 2008, and returns four starters from that team.

The Tigers will also be playing in the MFA Oil Shootout at the University of Missouri in Columbia this coming basketball season.