The Boothbay Region Lobster Jam tournament will wrap up the summer basketball season on July 29-30 with 16 competing for the championship. The Boothbay Region girls basketball program is hosting the annual tournament for the sixth year.

The defending Class C South champions will host and compete alongside high school teams representing Class AA, A, B and C from both northern and southern Maine. The Lobster Jam is a stark departure from most summer basketball action. In this tournament, the fouls count, points count, and more importantly the games all count toward crowning a champion.

Boothbay girls coach Tanner Grover began the tournament in 2011 when he served as the team’s assistant coach. Grover devised the tournament to give the team some challenging competitive games to cap the summer action. The first tournament began with five teams and grew to 16 a few years later. Grover sent out invitations to all Maine high school girls teams in March, and the field was complete within a couple days.

“We actually have a waiting list of 12 teams,” Grover said. “It’s become very popular. There is a lot of good basketball played. And our volunteer staff has a lot of dedicated parents who really make the teams feel welcomed. They are truly a big part of the tournament’s success.”

Boothbay is in Pool C which includes Sacopee Valley in Hiram, Cheverus in Portland and George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill. Pool A includes Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, Leavitt, Poland and Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln. Pool B is Winslow, Lisbon, Saint Dominic’s in Auburn and Mount Blue in Farmington. Pool D is Gardiner, Oak Hill in Wales, Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft.

Each team plays three games in the pool. The Pool A and B winners play in one semifinal at 7 p.m. on July 30 in the elementary school gymnasium. Pool C and D winners play in the second semifinal at 7 p.m. on July 30 in the high school gymnasium. The championship game follows at 8:30 p.m. in the high school gym.

Boothbay’s games are scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. vs. Sacopee at BRHS, Saturday at 9 a.m. vs. Cheverus at BRHS, and Saturday at 5:15 p.m. vs. George Stevens at BRHS.

The Boothbay girls team completed a successful weekend basketball camp July 8, 9 and 10 at the Gold Rush Invitational High School event held at Colby College. Boothbay won its GRIT division by beating South Portland by five points. Among the other 37 teams competing were Waterville, Lake Region, Sacopee Valley, Dexter and Mesalonskee in Oakland.

Boothbay also played against the camp’s overall champion Champlain Valley of Vermont which has an enrollment of about 1,300 and won three straight state championships and 92 consecutive high school games.

The Boothbay summer season began in June with a week of practice and continued with games on Tuesday and Thursday nights against Lincoln Academy, Brunswick, Gardiner, Yarmouth and Edward Little. Each night, the team has 15-20 players participating.

“We played them pretty tough, but lost by five,” Grover said. “The team is having a good summer. This is a pretty committed bunch and it really shows in their play this summer.”

Last year, Lincoln Academy defeated South Portland, 63-58, to win the championship.