Published
November 5, 2002
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Shootout Gives Yakima a Look
at Some of State's Best Hoops Teams
By
SCOTT SPRUILL
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
There’s only one place next season where you’ll be able to see both the
reigning Class 1A and B boys high school basketball players of the year on
the same day and on the same court:
The Yakima Valley SunDome.
In conjunction with the Central Washington Fair Association and Greater
Yakima Sports Association, the Yakima Herald-Republic will launch the
“tourneytown.com Shootout” on Jan. 20, 2003, Martin Luther King Day.
The event was created to showcase basketball in Eastern Washington, allowing
teams to schedule opponents on a neutral floor they might not be able to get
into their home gym.
The six-game lineup, patterned off a 4A/3A event on the same holiday in
Seattle’s Key Arena, will feature the high-scoring talents of Sunnyside
Christian’s Lance Den Boer and Brewster’s David Pendergraft.
The day will be concluded with a 7:30 p.m. pairing of West Valley’s boys and
Bellingham.
The day begins with a game against Toppenish’s and Granger’s girls, and then
is followed by two boys games: Toppenish vs. Burbank, then Granger vs.
Brewster. Sunnyside Christian and Riverside Christian will then get the
floor for another girls-boys twinbill and that will lead into the West
Valley game.
“This is a great opportunity to get these teams together in a
state-tournament environment, and it gives local fans a chance to see some
of the state’s premier players,” said Mel Moore of the GYSA, the local group
that has attracted, among other events, the 2A and 1A state basketball
tournaments to the SunDome. “This is a chance for many of these teams to
play in the building where state is going be.”
The Shootout’s namesake, tourneytown.com, is a Web site that will be
launched this week. The Web site will feature information on the three state
volleyball tournaments (3A, 2A and 1A) next week, the 2A and 1A state
basketball tournaments in 2003 and the Shootout.
The 2004 schedule for the event is already taking shape, and includes
matchups between Granger boys and Brewster, West Valley boys and Sehome, and
a Riverside Christian-Sunnyside Christian doubleheader. The West Valley and
East Valley girls have commited to playing and scheduling opponents for
those two teams is under way.
“It should be an attractive event with high school sports being as big as
they are locally,” said Herald-Republic publisher Rob Bickler, who added
that the newspaper will help promote the event but not seek any revenue.
“It’s also a way to showcase one of the best facilities in the state.”
Proceeds from the event will go to the GYSA to assist in the expenses
incurred in running state tournaments and to schools giving up home dates to
play in the event.
The Shootout’s timing was ideal for West Valley, which lost several
non-league games when the Big Nine grew to 11 teams. The Rams had played
Eisenhower, Davis and Pasco in the past.
“We were eager to pick up a game with a quality opponent and Bellingham
should be very good,” noted WV coach Jim Berndt. “Our kids love to play in
an atmosphere like the SunDome. It’s a great concept with a good future.
It'll be a great day for basketball in the Yakima Valley.”
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