Welcome to the 2015-16 season in the state of Alabama. The road to Birmingham has officially begun and we couldn’t be more excited to get things rolling. Every day for the next few weeks, our Alabama expert Garrett Tucker will tackle two questions at 2 p.m. CST about the upcoming season.

Have a question? Please use the #AskHoopSeen on Twitter and we will be sure to tackle your questions along the way!

What are the best holiday tournaments in the state?

There is nothing better than tournament play to round out a holiday. Throughout the country, many schools used extended breaks to participate in Thanksgiving and Christmas tournaments. Alabama plays host to several top-notch events that help teams get that tournament-like atmosphere they expect to play once the playoffs come around.

Monday, the field for 2015 Steel City Invitational was announced. This event has quickly become the top event in the state. It definitely is the unanimous winner for this question, as it pits the top players and teams in the state against each other. Multiple previous state champions matchup in order to see who is the best team in the state, regardless of class. The two past winners, Parker and Faith Academy, compete for state championships following their big wins over the past two seasons.

I love the Steel City Invitational, but my personal favorite is the Huntsville Times Classic. This event takes place every year following Christmas and the top teams in the Huntsville area are involved. Lee-Huntsville, J.O. Johnson, Austin, Bob Jones, James Clemens, Hazel Green, you name it, the school is probably there. There’s been some talent to walk through the Huntsville High doors during this tournament. If you’re available December 26-29, I would highly suggest giving the Huntsville Times Classic a visit. It’s worth your time (and money).

Everyone talks about how talented Alabama’s 2017 class is. Who is the best prospect that no one is talking about?

Yes, Alabama’s 2017 class is historic. I’m not sure the state has had this much talent in a class – ever. And it’s going to be very difficult for another class to top what the now-juniors have. Austin Wiley, John Petty, Alex Reese, Jamal Johnson, and Garrison Brooks are all high-major, national recruits. They have earned all the scholarship offers and notoriety they have received. But, like, any other state, there are plenty of other prospects that have slipped through the cracks to this point.

Lee-Huntsville scorer Malik Burnett sits at No. 6 behind the aforementioned five guys in our 2017 Alabama rankings. It’s hard to say a guy ranked that high is overlooked, but I think Burnett is just as talented as any other player in the state. The 6-foot-2 guard is an explosive scorer when he needs to be. However, on a loaded Lee squad, he doesn’t necessarily have to show what he can do on a consistent basis. I discussed Burnett with a college coach a few weeks ago, and we both agreed that he could easily get 25 points per game if he played for a team with less contributors. His consistent 10-12 points this year will help the Generals be a 6A state title contender, though.

Another guy that really came into his own during the spring is Cleveland’s Khalil Johnson. I know what you’re thinking – yes, there is such thing as a Cleveland, Alabama. The rural community sits in Blount County just north of Birmingham. Johnson helped lead his team to regionals in 4A last season, where they played at Jacksonville State University. There, he piqued the interest of many people, including several college coaches. Johnson used his shooting and athleticism to also be one of the top performers at the inaugural Alabama Elite Preview last spring. Heading into his junior year, some college coaches know of him, but there are still several question marks. Either way, Khalil Johnson definitely falls into the category of best player no one knows about.