OCEAN CITY- The Spring Ocean City Basketball Classic Invitational returns to Northside Park this weekend with games practically around the clock starting Friday and continuing tomorrow.

The tournament, founded and directed by former Stephen Decatur High School standout Lynn Smack, features teams of boys and girls in grades 4-9. The tournament got underway this morning at 10 a.m. and will continue on Saturday. Trophies will be awarded for first- and second-place. The cost of the tournament for spectators each day is $7 for adults and $5 for children. Teams from all over Maryland and up and down the east coast have signed up to compete.

Smack will also sponsor an AAU-sanctioned tournament in June in Ocean City when he brings back the 36th Annual Ocean City Basketball Classic on June 21-23 with an estimated 75-95 teams expected to participate this year. Smack’s newest tournament, the Ocean City Basketball Classic Showcase NCAA Live Period, an event certified by the NCAA, will take place on July 6-8 for girls and July 12-14 for boys.