Pizza Hut Classic provides reason for single class tournament

One of the most heated discussions among local sports fans -- besides a playoff system in college football -- is whether or not there should be class basketball in Indiana. Although I may not have the amount of experience as some of my fellow colleagues, I would consider myself old school when it comes to this topic. I am in favor of one single class.

I may be going out on a limb on this one, but I would venture to say anyone who spent any amount of time watching games at the ninth annual Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic at Terre Haute South over the holiday break would agree.

The 16-team field ranged from all different size of enrollments from the largest -- Terre North with over 2,100 -- to the smallest -- Turkey Run with 206 students.

Being a wrestler in my "glory days," I never really considered myself a huge basketball fan -- at least not at the high school level. Along with my profession I am slowly but surely becoming more of a high school fan with each game that I cover.

With all the speculation and hype about this year's classic being one of the greatest since its rebirth, I made it a point to cover and watch as many of the games as possible. With the exception of the final day -- I had to cover a different tournament -- I only missed one game from game one through game 24 on Monday night. I did however DVR the championship game on Tuesday night and was able to watch it after getting home from the office, although several friends inadvertently texted me and told me who had won!

With the help of former coach Ernie Maesch, who had lobbied for the tournament committee to readmit the Shakamak Lakers into the prestigious tournament, the Lakers opened up the tournament with a 52-37 win over Turkey Run in game one.

The closest game in round one came in game three with Maesch's new team, the Northview Knights slipping by Monrovia, 54-51. The game was close throughout with lead changing sides several times.

But one of the most talked about moments came in day two -- not on the court but in the stands. Linton-Stockton head coach Darren Clayton, after losing to Turkey Run, decided it was the perfect time to "pop" the big question. The date was the two year anniversary of Clayton and now fiancé, Kim Frederick. Clayton had each of the ten players that dressed for the varsity team present Frederick with a rose each. Clayton then completed the proposal with two roses and the question.

"I was trying to think of a special way of asking her and it just so happened that we were playing on the two year anniversary," Clayton said. "The kids mean so much to me and I just wanted them to be apart of it as well."

Congratulations coach Clayton -- the Miners would pick up their first win of the season two days later by defeating Riverton Parke 51-46.

Day two of the classic kicked off the much talked about excitement. After falling behind 10-0 and as much as 13 points in the fourth quarter, the Shakamak Lakers, led by veteran coach Steve Brett, nearly competed a miraculous comeback against Class 4A power Terre Haute North. But the Patriots held on for a 58-56 win.

The following game was even more exciting as the Knights of Northview and Sullivan went toe-to-toe against one another. The two teams needed two overtime periods to decide who would move on to the semifinals. All-tournament team selection, Austin Akers of the Knights would prevail in a 57-53 thriller. The game was only the second double-overtime affair in classic history.

The fifth game of the day and game 13 overall, featured Ron McBride's Bloomfield Cardinals against South Vermillion. The Cardinals built a 21-3 lead after the first eight minutes of play, only to fall behind in the final seconds. But never in a panic situation, the Cardinals turned to junior Andy Cochrane, who rose to the occasion and completed an old-fashioned three-point play with just eight seconds left to propel the Cardinals to the two-point win.

The last game of day two would be the best game of the classic, at least up to that point, with last season's runners-up, the Marshall Lions, against Class A No. 1 ranked Rockville Rox. The game was tied at 53l with just over a minute left in the game and Marshall with possession. The Lions would hold the ball and Lucas Eitel would send the Lions faithful back to Marshall in a frenzy as he connected on a soft runner in the lane as time expired. The win gave the Lions a much anticipated date with Terre Haute South in the semifinals -- a rematch of last year's championship game that South ended up winning in a laugher 64-31.

Day three started off with the Miners earning their first victory but was not as pleasant for the two other local teams, Shakamak and Bloomfield. Both the Lakers and Cardinals had their tournament play ended in lopsided losses -- the Lakers losing to Sullivan by 24 points and the Cardinals losing to Owen Valley by 32 points. Both teams had previously defeated their foes in the regular season.

The highlight of day three would be the final game of the night -- South against Marshall. The Lions admitted they had the dates of the classic circled on their schedule from day one hoping to have another chance at South. Marshall got their wish and proved they are a much better team that what the valley witnessed in last season's championship game.

Despite almost every so-called expert predicting a South win -- albeit a close win -- the Lions did the impossible or at least in their critics eyes and conquered the host Braves. It was not one of the Eitel twins who did the biggest damage, but Brandon Duncan who most certainly had a coming out party in the classic, knocked down four huge free throws in the final four seconds to break a 42-all tie and give the Lions a berth into the championship game against another 4A school, Terre Haute North.

With many people, myself included, proclaiming the South-Marshall game the real championship game, the Lions turned a close first quarter score into a rout by halftime as they claimed their first classic title and the before not well known Duncan was named game MVP.

South would nail a classic record 18 treys in their third place win over Northview. South's John Michael Jarvis had an outstanding tournament as he drained a record nine 3-pointers in their opening-round dismantling over South Vermillion, also shattered the tournament record for most 3s in an entire tournament by finishing with 24.

When all was said and done, the tournament more than lived up to its name -- Classic. The only suggestion that may make it a better experience for all sports fans is moving the tournament to a bigger venue. The "bigger" games of the tournament featured standing-room-only crowds and the staff working the ticket booths and doors having to turn hundreds of more fans away because of capacity levels inside the South gymnasium.

The tournament, at least in this sports writer's eyes, symbolized what Indiana basketball is all about and is a valid indication that a single-class tournament could once again be as prosperous as once before.

Travis David is a sports writer for the Greene County Daily World and can be reached at 812-847-4487 ext. 20 or tdavid@gcdailyworld.com