December 26, 2014 at 3:18 p.m.
Former Hodag hoops stars back for glory in 13th annual alumni tournament
Former Hodag hoops stars back for glory in 13th annual alumni tournament
The annual alumni tournament, set for Saturday, will feature seven teams made up of a collection of faces familiar to Hodag basketball fans spanning back decades.
Brandon Karaba organizes the tournament and said it's an event that many former players look forward to every year.
"It's an event that has a lot of guys that come back who really enjoyed the game of basketball in Rhinelander," he said. "With Rhinelander being more of a basketball town, a lot of people get to reminisce, catch up and see old friends in a way that's better than Facebook. It's face to face and it gets everyone together. Everyone goofs off and it brings them together with a sport that brought them together back in high school."
Despite its popularity, at one point it appeared the alumni tournament was in danger of disappearing. Karaba knew that someone needed to step up to keep the tradition alive, and now, enthusiasm for the event is stronger than ever.
"Thirteen years ago, Mike Cheslock started it and ran it for a couple of years," he said. "Unfortunately, he had to step away. One year, there was no tournament. That's when I decided to pick it back up and run with it. Teams were asking for it all over again after the year off and it's something people look forward to every single year. I'll get contacted around Thanksgiving because everyone looks forward to getting back to Rhinelander and getting the chance to play basketball and compete a little bit."
Last year, a team made up of members of the White family, most notably Shane White, a forward for Bemidji State University, won the event. This year though, they're not in the field, guaranteeing a new champion will be crowned.
The field is packed with former players who had great careers at Rhinelander and collegiately. Although a number of teams are sporting talented players, Karaba believes he knows who will win it all. One athlete tilts the field of play more than any other in recent memory, and this year, he's scheduled to appear.
"This year is a very, very unique year," he said. "We had a lot of guys who didn't know if they were going to make it, so their class created a kind of mixed bag team, but at the last second they were able to make it, so they formed their own team. I'd have to say 1998, for the first time in many years, is putting together a pretty solid team. Troy Doering is going to highlight that team and he hasn't been back in years. He's a heck of a ball player, so anytime he's on the court, his team is definitely the favorite to win, in my opinion."
When it comes to star power, the 1998 team has it. The squad also features former Olympian Chris Cook and Matt Huebner, who played several years in the Arena Football League.
The format of the tournament was tweaked this year as well. Gone is the single elimination bracket. Karaba has instead adopted a kind of pool play that will keep teams in the hunt longer.
"This year, with seven teams, it makes it a little bit interesting," he said. "We kind of worked out the details where the pool play will end up being everyone's best opportunity for everyone to have a chance to get to the championship, even with one loss. In one pool, we have the class of 2001, the class of 2008, a team with some 2007 and 2009, and 2008 has another team with some 2010 and 2012 guys on it. With that pool having four, it makes it a little tough, but we're going to make it work."
The other side of the tournament consists of three teams, but the competition looks to be fierce.
"In Pool B, we have 2004, 1998 and 2013," Karaba said. "The team that comes out of that will be the one with the best record. If we need a tie breaker, it's fewest points allowed, and then if it's still tied, we go to free throws. If anyone has a loss, they should still have an opportunity to have a shot at that championship. I think that's what's going to turn it into a good tournament. With that old bracket style, you never had a chance to come back after that first loss."
Also new this year, teams representing the 1970s and 1980s will play pick-up games, separate from the main tournament at 11:15 a.m. and 2 p.m.
With a wide open field and an improved tournament format, this year's alumni tournament is shaping up to be a memorable one.
Play begins at 8:15 a.m. and culminates with the championship game at 4 p.m. There is no admission for spectators.
Andy Hildebrand may be reached at [email protected].
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