MIDDLETOWN >> Christmas is still a week off but it is beginning to look a lot like Hoop Classic … just about everywhere you go in Lake County.
The 22nd annual junior varsity and varsity boys’ basketball tournament sponsored by the Lake County Record-Bee opens today and runs through Saturday at Middletown High School. Teams from Clear Lake, Kelseyville, Lower Lake and Middletown are participating in the round-robin competition. Four games, two each in the JV and varsity divisions, are held each day and the teams emerging with the best records earn championship trophies and county bragging rights … at least until the start of league play.
Middletown is hosting the tournament for the fifth time overall but the first time since 2003. The event, which was the idea of former Middletown varsity boys’ basketball coach Bill Foltmer, was first held in Middletown in 1994. The tournament’s goal, both then and now, was to generate money for the host school’s athletic program and the event has been very successful in doing so because of the way it is set up. Teams pay entry fees to cover official costs and all tournament awards are paid for by the Record-Bee, which also prepares the Hoop Classic programs. All gate receipts and concession sales are profit.
Middletown has won three of the last four as well as four of the last six Hoop Classic varsity championships. Clear Lake, which is the all-time varsity leader with seven titles, one more than Middletown, last won the tournament in 2013. Kelseyville (2010) and Lower Lake (2007) have gone a few years since their last championship.
In the junior varsity division, the battle for first place has been a two-team tug-of-war between Clear Lake and Middletown for the last decade. Clear Lake won titles in 2005-07, 2011-12 and last year. Middletown claimed three straight between 2008-10 and another in 2013. The last time another team other than Clear Lake or Middletown won was Lower Lake in 2004. Kelseyville’s last title was in 2001.
Free-throw and 3-point contests are held in the JV and varsity divisions on Friday. The JV contests are held between the two JV games while the varsity contests are held between the two varsity games. Winners receive awards that night. All other awards are presented following the final game on Saturday between the Kelseyville and Middletown varsity.
A spirit trophy, team trophies for first and second, and All-Tournament trophies are among the awards that will be presented. All-Tournament teams are selected by the coaches in the JV and varsity divisions.
The 23rd annual Hoop Classic in December of 2016 visits Kelseyville High School.
