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The third annual O’Neill Alumni Basketball Tournament was held April 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd.  Graduates of  O’Neill High School and St. Mary’s competed.  Twenty men’s teams played and six teams were entered in the women’s division in the tourney that started Friday night and concluded Sunday afternoon.  The Class of 2000 men’s team went 5-0 to claim the title in that division.  For the women, the MOB team made up of players from the late 80’s and early 90’s dethroned the two time defending champion Class of 2002 with a 43-31 win in the finals.

The 00 men, playing in pool A, started their road to the title at St. Mary’s on Saturday morning with a win over 91-92.  The champions then moved to the O’Neill elementary for two afternoon contests and picked up wins over 89-90 and 98 and set a single game scoring record in the process with an 80 point effort.  In one Sunday semifinal they won a hard fought 45-41 victory over the 04 Blue team.   Andy Shong led 00 with 11 points while teammates Ross Berg and Josh Herbers each added 10 in that win.  The other semifinal pitted pool C winner 03 against pool D’s best, the 97 team.  The 03 team prevailed in a close contest with a 49-44 win.  To earn their place in the finals 03 had to overcome some hot shooting by unanimous all-tournament selection Kasey Brosz.  Playing on a sprained ankle, he scored 18 of his game high 20 points in the second half but Ryan Hickey’s 10/10 effort at the free throw line and a balanced 03 scoring attack held 97 off.  

A large crowd was on hand for the Sunday afternoon’s final at O’Neill High School’s Aerie.  The game was tied at the half but the 00 men started to flex their muscle in the paint during the second half and pulled away for a 47-36 win.  03 stayed close for much of the game thanks in part to the inside play of Hickey and the long range shooting of Mike Simons.  Simons finished with a game high 15 points while Hickey added 14.  Shong scored all of his team high 11 points in the 2^nd half to pace the winners.  Beau Heiss added 10 as seven of the eight 00 players scored in the game.

For the MOB women the road to the title started early Saturday afternoon with a win over  the 03 team.  The MOB then won an overtime contest against 00 to advance to the finals.  The 02 women knew early on they would be in the finals for the third straight year.  They picked up Saturday morning wins over 01 and the Dynamites a team made up of players from the mid and late 90’s.  Christine Troshynski scored 14 points as the 03 women defeated the Dynamites in the 5^th place game.  Terrin Johnson’s 15 points led the 01 women to a 50-41 win over 00 in the third place game.

In the women’s championship 02 didn’t have an answer for Amy Brodersen Riggs.  The former all-stater scored a game high 21 points to lead her team to a 12 point victory.  She played the point, hit all her free throws, and with the game still in doubt recorded back- to- back three point goals.  Lisa Harder kept 02 close for much of the way largely through her 9 of 10 performance at the free throw line.  Teammate Laura Slaba added 10.

Named to the men’s all-tournament team were Mendel Miller, Kevin Morrow, Nate Prouty, Mitch Heiss, Kasey Brosz, Josh Herbers, Beau Heiss, Andy Shong, Mike Simons, Ryan Hickey, Travis Ptacek, and Tyler Hanson.  For the women Amy Brodersen Riggs, Andrea Howe, Megan Waterman, Marian Carr, Lisa Harder and Laura Slaba received all-tourney honors.   

In the inaugural three point contest Brodersen Riggs put on a clinic to claim first place in the women’s division.  Waterman placed second while Howe finished third.  For the men Ryan Berg out dueled younger brother Ross to claim the men’s title.  Chuck Price placed third.   

Thanks to the teams, fans, sponsors and many volunteers who helped make this year’s tournament another big success.