While holiday shoppers across the country head to stores to return gifts today, Warren County’s basketball teams will head back to the court to return to action.

Three of the four high school teams will play in tournaments this week. Both Vicksburg High teams and Warren Central’s boys team will play in the Ranger Round-up tournament at Raymond High School, while Warren Central’s girls will play in the Jackson Public Schools tournament. St. Aloysius will participate in the Wesson tournament, starting on Thursday.

The Ranger Round-up is the latest holiday home for Vicksburg and Warren Central. Over the years, they’ve played in a number of Jackson-area tournaments over the Christmas break including the JPS, Northwest Rankin and Raymond tournaments.

Vicksburg’s girls will start the tournament season today at 1 p.m. against Brandon. The winner will play either Clinton or Hazlehurst on Thursday at 4 p.m. On the boys’ side, Vicksburg will play Terry today at 2:30 and Warren Central will play host Raymond at 8:30. Vicksburg will play at either 2:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. Thursday, while WC will play on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. or 8:30.

WC and Vicksburg could meet in a loser’s bracket game at 2:30 Thursday afternoon, or on Friday, but would not play in the main draw of the tournament until Friday night’s championship game.

Warren Central’s girls team, meanwhile, will make its annual trek to Jackson for the JPS tournament. This year’s field is filled with heavyweights including No. 4 Forest Hill (14-0) and No. 1 Murrah (10-0). Murrah beat Forest Hill in last year’s championship game. Warren Central has reached the finals four times, the last in 2001, but never won.

Warren Central (11-4) is on a roll, having won nine of its last 10 games after a slow start. The Lady Vikes will open play against Jim Hill today at 3 p.m. at Forest Hill, and would advance to a likely Thursday showdown with Forest Hill with a victory.

St. Al will take today off before returning to action Thursday at the Wesson tournament. The Lady Flashes face archrival Cathedral at 4 p.m., and the Flashes will play Cathedral at 5:30.