Tipping my can in honor of the Classic’s 10th

Sidelines

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.

comments powered by Disqus

December 24, 2009

Tipping my can in honor of the Classic’s 10th

By Mike Lunsford The Tribune Star Thu Dec 24, 2009, 08:13 PM EST

TERRE HAUTE — It never ceases to amaze me how fast time slides past us… Or should I say, blows by. I’ve lived in my house 28 years; I’ve taught school for over 30, and I’ve been married a little longer than that. I honestly think I have t-shirts that are older than the high school students I have in class, and my two kids still don’t believe I can remember a time when television went off the air around midnight after a rousing rendition of the national anthem.

Proving my point is the fact that this is already the 10th year of the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic. It sure doesn’t seem like it was that long ago when I first got myself saddle-sore watching those first Classic games from the bleachers at Terre Haute South. If I recall, we had a whole lot of snow that inaugural year too.

I think a 10-year anniversary is special. According to tradition, being in a relationship for a decade is proof of durability and commitment. It may seem mildly inconsistent, but 10th anniversaries are normally commemorated with either a gift of diamonds, or one of tin or aluminum. I may get all weepy about how much I love the Classic, but diamonds are beyond my budget, so we’ll have to settle for simply tipping a can of soda sometime Saturday morning at Terre Haute — just before Bloomfield and Terre Haute South tip-off in the day’s first game — in honor of this great tournament. Of course, I hope to have a slice of pizza to go with it.

Over the years, I’ve seen the WVPHC grow, not only in the size of the field and in attendance numbers, but also in stature as one of the very best high school basketball tournaments in the country. Last year provided perhaps the best year of all since a little guy — Marshall’s Lions — broke through to win it in reminiscence of all of those small-school champions the old Wabash Valley Tourney had in its 57 years of existence.

I’ve had a load of favorite moments in the PHWVC — too many to mention here. But if I had to name just one, it would come from championship night in the 2001 tournament. The gym at North was, of course, packed that evening in anticipation of a David and Goliath match-up between Northview and tiny Turkey Run. The tournament that year came at a time when stress in this country was running like a high fever; terrorists had attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon just a few months before.

Everyone in the gym stood, addressed the flag, and, as many sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” I remember thinking that it was as respectful a crowd that I had ever seen. Before the spell was broken by the ensuing roar, I saw more than a few tears being wiped away. It wasn’t an exciting dunk, or a go-ahead basket in a nail-biter, but it was special…

Now, here’s the yearly PHWVC trivia quiz, and if you get them all correct, why I’ll tip my can to you too. In the meantime, I need to figure out how to celebrate next year. Eleventh-year anniversaries are usually commemorated with a gift of steel… See you at the Classic.

1. ________ Approximately, how many basketball fans have attended the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic since its tip-off in 2000? (a. 35,000 (b. 45,000 (c. 55,000 (d. 65,000

2. ________ Gary Fears, founder of the PHWVC, spent his basketball playing days at what local high school? (a. Garfield (b. Honey Creek (c. Wiley (d. Gerstmeyer

3. ________ Rockville’s R.J. Mahurin holds the single-game scoring record in a PHWVC game with 40 points against Monrovia in 2007. Who is second to Mahurin on that single-game scoring list (a. Jake Kelly of Marshall (b. Adam Gore of Monrovia (c. John Michael Jarvis of TH South (d. R.J. Mahurin of Rockville

4. _________How many current Indiana State University Sycamores basketball players have played in the PHWVC? (a. 4 (b. 5 (c. 6 (d. 7

5. _________It’s important to note that the profits from the pizza that is sold at the PHWVC go to the booster clubs of the host school. But, how many slices of the stuff were sold at last year’s tournament? (a. 4,500 (b. 7,500 (c. 9,500 (d. 11,500

6. _________What school has won the most games in Classic history? (a. Terre Haute North (b. Terre Haute South (c. Northview (d. Bloomfield.

7. _________What school currently in the Classic hosted the very last old-time Wabash Valley Tournament in 1972? (a. Rockville (b. Sullivan (c. Marshall (d. Casey

8. __________Two schools in the PHWVC field won the old Valley four times. Can you name the pair?

9. __________How many different schools have participated in the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Tournament? (a. 18 (b. 22 (c. 24 (d. 26

10. _________Okay, the old-timer toughie: The old Valley ran for 57 years. In that time, how many different schools participated in it? (a. 98 (b. 124 (c. 136 (d. 158

Answers

1. (d. 65,000

2. (b. Fears was a Honey Creek Honey Bee

3. (d. Mahurin, again; he scored 38 against Owen Valley in the same tournament

4. (c. 6 – The Eitel twins, RJ Mahurin, Jake Kelly, Jake Odum, and Harry Marshall

5. (c. 9,500

6. (a. North has won 28 times in the tournament

7. (b. Sullivan hosted the last of the old Valley tournaments; Marshall, the 2009 champ, won it in 1972

8. Rockville in 1916-17-18, and 1963, and Linton in 1924, 1927, 1946, and 1968

9. (d. 26. I don’t have room to name them all here…

10. (d. 158 different schools participated

You can contact Mike Lunsford at hickory913@aol.com, or via regular mail, c/o the Tribune-Star at PO Box 149, Terre Haute, IN 47808. Visit Mike’s Web page at www.mikelunsford.com. He will be signing his latest book, “Sidelines: The Best of the Basketball Stories…” at the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic on Dec. 26, 28, 29, 30.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Sidelines

Old friend missing as Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic begins
It occurred to me late last month, as I opened my morning newspaper to read up on the draw for this year’s Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic, that when I walk through Terre Haute South’s doors on Wednesday it will be the first time that I won’t find my old buddy Dean Kendall sitting at one end of the gym, a smile on his face a good while before the first whistle is blown or the first shot is taken.

December 25, 2012
SIDELINES: Good for even a traditional Classic buff
Lights down, tree out, another year gone at the Classic.

January 4, 2012
Sidelines: Pizza Hut Classic is basketball on caffeine
I’m no coffee connoisseur. If it’s hot and black and in a Styrofoam cup, I’ll drink it.
Knowing I consume a good bit of brew every day, my family helps fuel the addiction by buying Christmas gift cards for me at a local coffee shop, but, since I make it into town only occasionally, the cards stay stashed in my wallet until the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic rolls around.

January 5, 2011
Sidelines: Feeling cold? Here’s a story that just might warm your feet Despite a glowing space heater that hums near my chilly feet, I still hug my arms and rub my legs as I sit to write this story. The sub-zero temperatures this weekend have brutally reminded us all of our human frailty, of our dependence on stoves and furnaces, electricity and natural gas, on blankets and fleece and wool and warm water.
January 11, 2010
Tipping my can in honor of the Classic’s 10th It never ceases to amaze me how fast time slides past us… Or should I say, blows by. I’ve lived in my house 28 years; I’ve taught school for over 30, and I’ve been married a little longer than that.
December 24, 2009
Hayden's loyalty to Colts pays off Hours before the former University of Illinois cornerback was due to be designated as the Indianapolis Colts’ franchise player, Kelvin Hayden — who had made it known that he wasn’t interested in playing anywhere else — signed a five-year, $43 million deal with the team.
February 20, 2009
Thumbing through a real history book My wife and I invest a bit of our time on the occasional Saturday wandering through antique stores and junk shops.
January 16, 2009
Sidelines: When it comes to the Classic, it’s better late than never… I’m normally pretty punctual. Despite having to slip into the back pew at church on the occasionally tardy Sunday morning, I’m not in the habit of paying late fees on bills, standing at the back of any buffet lines, or being the last guy in the neighborhood to mow grass. As a matter of fact, I’m often the first employee to pull into the parking lot every morning.
January 3, 2009
Colts notebook: Team won't be very active in free-agent market Now that Indianapolis has re-signed unrestricted free agents Bob Sanders (strong safety), Dallas Clark (tight end) and Ryan Lilja (offensive guard), team officials are planning to sit back and see what’s going to happen with the rest of the team’s free agents.
February 22, 2008
SIDELINES: Like fine wine, Classic gets better with age I know virtually nothing about wine, but I do know that the best of it gets better with age. That’s apparently true of the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic.
January 2, 2008 1 Slideshow
Sidelines: A man has to do what a man has to do I have a job to do just after Christmas, and believe me, it’s a tough one; it takes four days, involves putting in long hours, requires both physical and mental sacrifice, and perhaps even holds the chance for long-term injury. But a guy has to do what he has to do to bring home a paycheck.
December 23, 2007
Metro roundup: ISU announces Hall of Fame class
November 10, 2007
Sidelines: Illinois has its share of unique nicknames too Over the years, I’ve written at least four columns about unique school nicknames, but Casey resident Jim Blome reminded me in a letter about a year ago that I’ve never done a story about interesting names from Illinois schools. I think it’s time I remedied that error.
February 27, 2007
Sidelines: Advocates had their chance for higher basket Years ago, if atmospheric conditions were just right, I could occasionally dunk a basketball, particularly at one local gym where pick-up game artists like me knew that one rim was at least three inches lower than regulation height.
February 2, 2007
Warm up for Classic with Clyde Quiz An obligation at work kept me from being at the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic luncheon and tournament drawing at Terre Haute South a few weeks ago, but I don’t intend to let much get in my way when it comes to showing up for the lion’s share of the 28 games in the Classic, which, by the way, gets started today.
December 26, 2006
Mike Lunsford: It’s not how much we’ve gained, but how much we’ve lost I haven’t seen much basketball this fall; the weather outside has been too nice lately to turn my attention to things indoors just yet. So this is the first Sidelines of the year; I was already writing about hoops in October last season. I hope the old adage of it being better late than never still rings true.
November 29, 2006
Sidelines: Mail waste of time for some, but not for me No matter how many bills or how much junk mail I get, I’m one of those folks who anticipates going to the mailbox like Carter opening Tut’s tomb. I’ve always enjoyed getting mail; there’s a feeling of connectedness one gets when he sees his name on a letter from somewhere in the outside world. It makes little difference that what I most often get isn’t worth the postage it took to send it, even at the bulk rate.
May 12, 2006 1 Photo
Sidelines: It doesn’t take much for me to name names It’s no secret that I enjoy talking about old high school nicknames; I’ve done several columns on the subject before. I usually wait a little while before I write about a topic for a second (or third) time, but when Fred Myers of Riley dropped a letter to me a few weeks ago pointing out a potential mistake I made about a nickname, I just couldn’t resist going into it again. After all, it has been a couple of years.
January 25, 2006 1 Photo

10 Things to Know for Thursday

Banks of the Wabash Festival is more than just yearly entertainment

North baseball pulls away from South in sectional opener

Sidelines

Search Results

Discussion

Tipping my can in honor of the Classic’s 10th

Site Map

Contact Us