The inaugural Dallas Huston Classic will take place Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6, as the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets basketball team will host three others, and play two games during that stretch at the Brownwood Coliseum.

“This was a way to try and find more home games, and honoring Dallas is just a given,” said Yellow Jackets head coach Nadir Dalleh. “I’ve known Dallas since I could walk and he’s known my family forever. I grew up with him calling games. There’s no other voice, and no one else who can do it like he can. He’s a positive in this community that needs to be recognized. For me personally, it’s a no brainer with what he’s meant not only to the Brownwood community but the Howard Payne community and alumni and everybody involved. Everyone knows who Dallas is and putting his name on this Classic is huge. He’s just a great role model.”

Howard Payne, McMurry, Arlington Baptist and Dallas Christian will comprise the field. Games will be played at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday Dec. 6. The Brownwood FCA chapter will host a breakfast that Saturday morning for all the teams involved.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off their first American Southwest Conference tournament victory in 10 years, and a 13-14 overall record in Dalleh’s third season at his alma mater.

“I think we’re going to be better,” Dalleh said, looking ahead to his fourth campaign at HPU. “We lost a couple of guys we weren’t expecting to lose, but we filled in those holes. We’re going to be more athletic. We brought in a couple of junior college guys that are going to be leaders. We brought in nine transfers between JUCO and other divisions. We’re going to be a little bit bigger and I think we’re going to be able to press a little more, and we pressed a lot last year and forced 20 turnovers a game. We lost some scoring, but the way we’re more athletic and able to press we should be able to get a lot off our turnovers.”