Tribune Tournament set to tip off Wednesday
From left: Welland Centennial vice principal Braden Coles, Tribune Tournament Chairman Don Larman, Tournament committee member Craig Maltais. Photo by: BILL POTRECZ.
Tournament chairman Don Larman spent much of Tuesday running around Welland making sure everything was set for the 67th Annual Welland Tribune Basketball Tournament.
The tournament, which was first held in 1955 and has been played every year since then with the exception of 2021 and 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, tips off Wednesday at four locations and Larman says everything is ready to go.
It’s a lot of committee work, commitment, volunteerism,” said Larman who is in his 20th season as chairman or co-chair. “The committee gets the job done and I just go and pick up things.”
Larman feels one of the great aspects of the tournament is the sense of community in Welland.
“Community support is very valuable for the tournament,” he said. “ This is a community tournament. Welland is a sports community. It may be small but it’s a very unique sports community and having our title sponsor on board, Mountainview Building Group, they build communities and as they build communities, they help us build our tournament.”
Mark Basciano, President, Mountainview Building Group, is a big proponent of the tournament.
“Wishing all the participating schools and athletes stepping onto the basketball court this week, the best of luck for a fun and safe tournament,” Basciano said.
This year the tournament is welcoming the University of Niagara Falls aboard as a program sponsor.
“They are donating sweatshirts and T-shirts to the all-star teams and have taken an ad in the program,” Larman said. “Getting program sponsorship helps offset some of the costs of our tournament.”
As well, the tournament is saying goodbye to long time committee member John Witlib, while welcoming newcomers Seth Raso and Craig Maltais.
Maltais, who coaches both the senior girls and boys basketball teams at Centennial, is thrilled to be part of the committee.
“Being around the tournament for so many years it was something I always had interest in but didn’t really know how to go about it, so when Don (Larman) approached me it was a quick yes,” Maltais said.
Maltais will act as the scholarship co-ordinator.
“I think it’s great we’re able to help students with their post-secondary education,” he said. “Being part of that process is something I’m really happy to do and being part of the committee with all the planning that goes with it is a good fit as well.”
Action begins Wednesday with 16 games: Notre Dame vs. Port Colborne at 2:30 p.m. and Greater Fort Erie vs. Holy Cross at 4 p.m. at Notre Dame; E.L. Crossley vs. Denis Morris at 12:40 p.m. and Lakeshore Catholic vs. A.N. Myer at 2:10 p.m. at E.L. Crossley; Centennial vs. Eden at 1 p.m, and Sir Winston Churchill vs. Saint Paul at 2:30 p.m at Centennial; and, Saint-Jean-de-Brebeuf vs. Saint Michael at 3 p.m. and Governor Simcoe vs. Westlane at 4:30 p.m. at Saint-Jean-de-Brebeuf.
Championship quarter-finals will be played Thursday at Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Notre Dame while consolation quarter-finals will be held at noon and 3:30 p.m. at Saint-Jean-de-Brebeuf and 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at Centennial.
Semifinal action will be contested Friday at Notre Dame with consolation games going at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. and championship games going at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Championship night will be staged Saturday at Notre Dame with the consolation final scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and the championship game set for 7:30 p.m.
Maltais can’t wait to get going.
“The major paper tournaments (BPSN, Standard, Tribune) are something the kids really get exited for. It’s right up there with trying to get to OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) every year in terms of highlights,” he said. “If you can make it to the Friday or Saturday night, it really feels like a showcase event when the lights are bright. The kids really strive for that. In terms of our season, it’s one of the main focus points from Day 1, The Tribune Tournament.”
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