The BREAKDOWN returns to Marshall
Posted 2/27/2008
By Wayne Cook
wcook@marshallindependent.com
MARSHALL -- Marshall made a very good first impression this past year when it
hosted the annual Breakdown-sponsored Tip Off Classic.
So much of an impression, that it was awarded another year of hosting one of
the elite basketball tournaments in the state.
The dates are Dec. 12-13 at the Marshall High School gymnasium.
Marshall boys basketball coach Tom Critchley Jr. was informed late last week
by The Breakdown, a statewide basketball publication, that Marshall will
again host the Tip Off Classic next year.
That¹s partially due to how well the last Tip Off Classic was promoted and
was accepted by the community of Marshall.
"They were very happy, very pleased. They liked the atmosphere," Critchley
said.
The Tip Off Classic dates are later next year. The Dec. 12-13 weekend was
worked out through the cooperation of several groups in Marshall.
"Bruce Remme (athletic director) did a nice job juggling the schedule,"
Critchley said. "He wanted to see it happening."
Last week, Breakdown officials e-mailed Critchley, telling him how well he
has promoted high school basketball in Marshall.
"It's not just me ‹ the entire community does it," Critchley said. "The
Booster Club did a great job last year, keeping it first-class as much as
possible."
Next year, all of the matchups will be outstate versus metro, or big school
versus small school.
There's Marshall versus Cedar Mountain-Comfrey, Tartan versus St. Cloud
Cathedral, Blaine versus Cloquet and Duluth East versus Pelican Rapids.
"We wanted to get somebody local," Critchley said. "We made some suggestions
to Breakdown, and they thought they were a good thing."
There are three teams from Marshall's section (including the Tigers).
There's Willmar and Mankato West, both of which are ranked in the Top 5
(Class AAA) this year with junior-dominated teams.
"They are good teams," Critchley said. "They have strong junior classes.
They have a lot of good underclassmen."
Willmar is matched against Tartan, while Mankato West draws Eden Prairie.
Marshall's second game is against Minneapolis DeLaSalle, which returns from
last year¹s Tip Off Classic field.
DLS is led by current junior, 6-foot-7 Royce White, who is considered one of
the top 40 recruits nationwide.
White has been offered a scholarship by the Minnesota Gophers, who have also
made an offer to Cloquet¹s 6-foot-10 sophomore, Chad Calcaterra.
"Every team has at least one good player to rely on," Critchley said. "Every
game has a D-I recruit in it expect us and Cedar Mountain. We have (6-foot-4
post player) Tyler Gimmestad, who is a D-I football player."
There's a couple of twists to next year¹s Tip Off Classic.
There's a team invited from Iowa: Sioux City North.
There's a girls game scheduled between Marshall and DeLaSalle, which has
ex-Tiger All-State player, Shannon Bolden, on its coaching staff.
"That's something we are trying for the first time," Critchley said. "This
year, the Timberwolves' shoot-out started with a girls game."
Efforts are being made to get more corporate sponsors for the
Breakdown-sponsored event, in an attempt to make ticket prices more
reasonable.
"We are trying to get more students (interested)," Critchley said. "We want
to get more students (from the participating schools) into the games. The
ticket prices aren¹t too bad if you stay there the whole day."
Three games are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 12 ‹ with tip-off times being
5:30, 7 and 8:30 p.m.
Six games are slated for Saturday, Dec. 13 ‹ the times are noon, 1:30, 3, 5,
6:30 and 8 p.m.
This past year, most of the games in the Tip Off Classic were 20-30 point
blowouts.
"That was one bad thing . . . that the games weren't that close," Critchley
said. "(Breakdown) wants to make sure they are good games. They are looking
for quality matchups."
Notes: Marshall will host its third annual Breakdown Summer Showcase during
the third weekend of July.
The two-day tournament brings in 16 teams, eight girls and eight boys.
Note: Game times are approximate |
Friday, December 12th:
Blaine vs. Sioux City North (Iowa), 5:30 p.m.
Willmar vs. Tartan, 7 p.m.
Marshall vs. Cedar Mountain-Comfrey, 8:30 p.m. |
Saturday, December 13th
Duluth East vs. Pelican Rapids, noon
Blaine vs. Cloquet, 1:30 p.m.
Mankato West vs. Eden Prairie, 3 p.m.
Tartan vs. St. Cloud Tech, 5 p.m.
Marshall vs. DeLaSalle, 6:30 p.m.
Marshall vs. DeLaSalle (girls), 8 p.m. |
|
Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Boys Hockey
Football
Volleyball
