Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, December 27, 1993 TAG: 9312270004
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BRIAN DeVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As an assistant boys' basketball coach at Johnson City (Tenn.) Science Hill for 13 years, Morgan watched his teams participate in the growth of the Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tenn. That event, Morgan said, is "one of the top-rated holiday tournaments in the nation right now."
So if anybody wonders where Salem High School's head coach got the inspiration for the inaugural Advance Auto Parts Holiday Classic at the Salem Civic Center, they need look no further.
The Salem tournament, which begins Tuesday and concludes Thursday, involves eight teams - seven of them from Timesland. All the squads - Cave Spring, Fieldale-Collinsville, Franklin County, Northside, William Byrd, Laurel Park, A.C. Flora (Columbia, S.C.) and the host school - appear to be evenly matched, which should make for a competitive tournament.
"My teams had always taken part in the Arby's tournament," Morgan said. "I felt they always helped our teams get ready for conference play. Sometimes in district and regional tournaments, you have to play a couple nights in a row. That's what I was thinking here."
All the Timesland schools entered are solid, and there doesn't appear to be a clear favorite. A.C. Flora is a Group AAA school that is hovering around the .500 mark, but has played several South Carolina teams in Group AAAA, those with the largest enrollment. Morgan said he invited Flora because its coach, Vince Lowery, is from Bedford. It's a nice way to get Lowery home to family and friends for Christmas.
The most interesting first-round matchup pits Morgan's team against Laurel Park, which beat the Spartans 80-77 in four overtimes last season in a Group AA Region III semifinal.
"I want to create some excitement right from the start," Morgan said. "I want to meet them right away."
The North Cross Holiday Classic, which begins today and concludes Wednesday, should be another exciting event. All seven teams entered are from Timesland: Auburn, Carlisle, Craig County, Floyd County, Glenvar, defending champion North Cross and Roanoke Catholic. Auburn, Floyd County, Glenvar and North Cross appear to be the class of the field.
Since seven teams are entered, one team gets a first-round bye. Guess which team that is?
"I offered the bye to three other teams [Glenvar, Auburn and Floyd County], because I felt we were the fourth-best team, and they all turned it down," said Jim Muscaro, the North Cross head coach. "Coaches like this tournament because it gives you an opportunity to play. Coaches like to practice over [the holiday break] anyhow. It also gives people a chance to get up from the TV and watch some real competition."
In other tournament action, Radford, Christiansburg, George Wythe and Grayson County are entered in the Marion WOLD Invitational; and Bath County, Covington Boys' Home, Stuarts Draft and Rockbridge County are entered in the Staunton News Leader Tournament.
by CNB