Shore Sports Insider to take over as tournament director of WOBM Christmas Classic

As WOBM Christmas Classic founder and director Kevin Williams closes out his final day running the Shore’s holiday basketball staple, Shore Sports Insider is excited to announce that the tournament itself isn’t going anywhere.

With Williams stepping down from his post after 40 years, Shore Sports Insider will be taking over as Christmas Classic tournament director beginning in 2025. We are proud to keep this longstanding holiday tournament going and provide the same venue, atmosphere and dedication to the student-athletes that Williams cultivated during his four decades building the Christmas Classic.

“I am very happy about that,” Williams said. “Several people approached me when I made the initial announcement about taking it over, but I don’t think it’s something just anybody can jump in and run who doesn’t have familiarity with it. The overriding thing this week has been people coming up to me and saying they’re sorry there won’t be anything next year. But there will be. Shore Sports Insider is planning to pick up this ball with many of the same things on tap. There will be an opportunity to come here and watch boys and girls high school basketball, and I think that’s important.”

The Christmas Classic was founded in 1984 when Williams, the venerable sports director at WOBM radio, sought to create a neutral-site tournament featuring local teams. Southern Regional’s Roundball Festival had just come to an end after several years as an Ocean County cornerstone, leaving many teams looking for a new holiday tournament to enter. The Christmas Classic was held at Ocean County College for several years where a strong foundation was built. The tournament later added a girls division, expanded the boys division to 16 teams and moved the site to Toms River North’s new on-campus arena, which is now named RWJBarnabas Health Arena.

Since its inception, the Christmas Classic has also awarded academic scholarships to tournament participants based on their performance in the classroom. The tournament has given out more than $105,000 over the years thanks to the support of partners Community Medical Center and RWJBarnabas Health.

“Obviously I was the figurehead for 40 years but it’s really the event and the location that makes it special,” Williams said. “We’re in this terrific facility where we can play two games at the same time across the hall from each other. I’m thrilled and wish Shore Sports Insider nothing but the best, I hope they get another 40 years out of it. I think it’s important this community has a holiday event here next year.”

The Christmas Classic runs annually from December 26 through December 30 with 16 boys teams and 16 girls teams separated into two brackets for each. The boys side has the Ruhnke and Gepp divisions and the girls have the Cervino and Snyder divisions.

This year’s tournament concludes Monday with the Snyder Division final between Wall and Toms River East at 1 p.m. The Cervino Division final will follow at 3 p.m. where Ridge Road rivals Red Bank and Rumson-Fair Haven will clash for the title. The boys finals begin at 5 p.m. when Wall and Middletown North match up in the Gepp Division final. Closing out the tournament in the Ruhnke Division championship will be a marquee final between Manasquan, ranked No. 3 in the SSI Top 10, and No. 4 Central.

“Bittersweet is the best way to sum it up,” Williams said. “It’s been a labor of love for 40 years and the week here is a great time. It’s really the preparation that is the hardest part and now that I’m technically retired it’s no longer part of my job. So I’m doing all this as almost an outsider and it’s just a lot. I wanted to at least play a role in when things were going to change and (WOBM) agreed this would be a good time for me to bow out. I’m happy the way it went and 40 years is a nice round number and a good way to go out. It’s like with a coach who retires after a while. They probably don’t miss it until the first game the next year, so I’m sure that’s when it will all hit me.”