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The good word is spreading about the McDonald’s Texas Invitational
Basketball Tournament.
“When I was talking to (Desoto boys coach) Chris Dyer, he said you won’t
find another tournament in the state that is more well organized and has
the caliber of teams as this one,” said Duncanville High School head
coach Phil McNeely. “When I heard that, I knew we had to join this
tournament.”
Tip-off is nearing for the annual event, which will be held Nov. 20-22
at all Pasadena ISD high school gymnasiums, Phillips Field House,
Pearland High School and Pearland Dawson High School. The tournament’s
48 boys teams and 32 girls teams feature many of the top teams and
players in the state.
Duncanville has been picked by many state basketball publications as the
top boys team in the state. Pre-season top 10 teams such as Desoto, Fort
Bend Hightower, San Antonio Madison and last years Class 5A state
champion North Crowley will highlight the 48-team boys field.
“The quality of teams in this tournament is outstanding,” said San
Antonio Madison head coach John Valenzuela. “It is certainly worth the
200-mile drive to come play against the level of competition we face. It
is a good test for us and really prepares us for the rest of the
season.”
Last year, the tournament served as a springboard for North Crowley’s
state championship run. North Crowley’s only loss of the season came
against Fort Bend Hightower – and then the Wildcats won the
Invitational’s consolation trophy and blazed to 35 straight wins and
eventually capturing the Class 5A title.
“There is a lot of pride taken in this tournament as it is a first-class
tournament all the way from the organization through the commitment to
having the best teams from around the state participating,” North
Crowley head coach Tommy Brakel said. “It’s a tournament that the school
district, the community and the organizers should all be very proud of
hosting.”
In the girls division, three Houston area teams playing in the
Invitational are ranked in the state’s top 10. Cypress Fairbanks,
Bellaire and Cinco Ranch from Katy are rated high in the pre-season
rankings, as well as Mansfield Summit and Pflugerville.
Playoff teams such as Dickinson, McAllen and El Paso Eastwood are also
featured teams in the girls division’s 32-team field.
“This tournament is top notch in all aspects,” said Eastwood coach Endi
Vargas. “My teams have competed in big tournaments, but they do not
compare to the coordination, game facilities, accommodations and special
amenities that are given by the McDonald’s Texas Invitational
Tournament. We are proud to be a part of this first-class affair.”
The fan base of the tournament also continues to grow every year. More
than 30,000 fans attended the Invitational over a three-day period. The
McDonald’s Texas Invitational Basketball Tournament is the brainchild of
Ben Meador, a 1957 Pasadena High School graduate and owner and president
of Meador Staffing Services in Pasadena. In 2001, Meador, the City of
Pasadena, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and other community leaders
created this tournament to market Pasadena ISD in hopes of it eventually
becoming the Pasadena ISD Education Foundation’s primary fundraiser.
McDonald’s signed on as the headline sponsor in 2005.
“We wanted to establish a world-class basketball tournament, and I
believe we have,” Meador said. “In a few short years, this tournament
has grown in stature to become one of the premier invitational
basketball tournaments in Texas and is gaining a national reputation for
excellence – not just because of the quality of basketball played, but
because of the support and enthusiasm of hundreds of community
volunteers and sponsors who have made this event special for everyone
involved.”
As the primary annual fundraiser for the Foundation, the proceeds of the
tournament grow every year allowing the Foundation to reach its goals of
helping teachers provide innovative instruction districtwide. Because of
the tournament’s annual success, the Foundation has been able to
distribute $100,000 in mini-grants to teachers district wide for the
last few years through its bi-annual Dream Makers event. Over the last
five years, the tournament has donated $265,000 to the Foundation.
For more information on the tournament, go to
www.texasinvitational.com |