NATCHEZ — For the second year in a row, former Cathedral varsity girls’ head basketball coach Randy Smith will be organizing and sponsoring a tournament that will be played in the Miss-Lou.

On Nov. 4-5, the Natchez 301 Community Basketball Tournament will be hosted at the Cathedral School gym. However, this year’s tournament will be different from the one held last year.

“We’re celebrating 301 years of the city. It’s a way to get the community to have some fun,” Smith said. “We did 300 years last year (with local teams and teams from the United Kingdom and Ireland). So I thought we would do 301. Next year might be 302. Just keep on going. It’s just a fun day.”

This year, five adult teams from Natchez and Lafayette, La., will play in the tournament — Ernst Pharmacy, Smith Mason, Magnolia Bluffs Casino, the Natchez Fire Department and the Lafayette Bus Drivers.

“It’s going to be a mix of younger and older players,” Smith said. “The fire department has some younger guys. As long as you’re 18 or older. Girls can play on the boys’ team. Last year the casino had a lady on its team.”

After a couple of the morning games have been played, Cathedral’s high school girls’ team will be playing in an exhibition game at noon on Nov. 4 against the Vidalia High School girls team.

There will also be concessions, medics and security at the gym during the tournament.

Smith said at some point during the tournament a free-throw contest will probably take place. He added that he wanted to do something to kick off the basketball season. The sponsors for this year’s event are Smith Mason, Taco Bell, Magnolia Bluffs Casino, Sports Center and Ernst Pharmacy.

Like last year, the tournament will have a round-robin format. But the length of each game will be completely different from a year ago.

“Four six-minute quarters. So about an hour each game,” Smith said. “Each team will have one timeout each half. We will have a 30-second shot clock. It’s sort of the NBA rules.”

Each team will have at least 10 players on them. Smith said the fire department will have 15 players on its team.

If anyone is interested in helping or playing in the tournament, contact Randy Smith at 1-337-781-6115 or email at rsmith7389@aol.com.