What if the Illinois High School Association gave a big basketball party in Champaign and nobody came?
That`s how things are starting to shape up for the IHSA`s planned slam-dunk and three-point-shooting contests at the Class AA state tournament March 20-21 in Illinois` Assembly Hall. Some of the state`s high school coaches, many from the Chicago area, have said they won`t have players participating in the events.
The Chicago Public League`s Basketball Committee voted Monday not to send any players to either competition because, according to chairman Luther Bedford of Marshall, ”the schools have to fund it, and we`re underfunded already.”
The Public League joins a growing list of schools that will not have entries in the IHSA`s ”Happening `92,” added this year to generate more fan interest in the state tournaments. Coaches from the York sectional, which includes defending state Class AA champion Proviso East, St. Joseph and Oak Park, also declined to nominate players for either contest.
Bedford said the Public League`s eight-member committee-which also includes Whitney Young`s George Stanton, Taft`s Frank Hood, Corliss` Don Young, Hubbard`s Bob Ociepka, Phillips` Chuck Frazier, Washington`s Dick Billish and former Foreman coach Gene Denk-voted 5-3 not to have Public League participants.
The IHSA has said it will not be responsible for expenses or transportation for any contestants. The IHSA will, however, pay for rooms for the four players in the March 21 finals.
The question is: Who`s going to foot the bill for players`
accommodations, meals and transportation for the rest of the weekend?
”This creates problems,” said St. Joseph coach Gene Pingatore.
”That`s what concerns us,” said Frazier. ”You have to house the kids and, frankly, we can`t afford it. I wouldn`t think it would be too much trouble housing kids in a dorm.”
Said Bedford: ”We certainly don`t want to send a kid down there and have him pay his own way. That wouldn`t be right.”
According to Jim Flynn, IHSA assistant executive director, the IHSA and the executive committee of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association agreed months ago on the rules and conditions for both contests. He said the IBCA, the Illinois Coaches Association and the Illinois Athletic Directors Assocation all endorsed the plan.
”We feel we made contact with people who have a vested interest in basketball in Illinois,” Flynn said. ”We talked about kids having to come on their own, and nobody had a problem with that. No one`s required to participate in either of the contests. It always has been optional.”
The problems with the three-point contest caused much of the grumbling among coaches. Several decided not to have their players participate because it`s scheduled to run 45 minutes before the start of every regional and sectional game. They argued that the contest could interfere with pregame preparation.
The result of all of this is that fans will miss out on seeing some of the best players in the state, like Westinghouse guard Kiwane Garris, Taft guard Kenny Pratt and King`s two 7-footers, Thomas Hamilton and Rashard Griffith. The York sectional features such top talent as Proviso East center Jamal Robinson, Proviso West guard Sheldon Jones and St. Joseph`s Gerald Eaker and Derek Molis, one of the state`s top three-point shooters. Earlier, another top three-point shooter, Glenbrook North`s Chirs Collins, had indicated he wouldn`t participate.
And the players who can`t afford to make the trip to Champaign will miss out on the experience of being at a state tournament.
”It`s a big disappointment,” said Young. ”It`s a fantastic idea. I`m for it, all the coaches in the city are for it-we just don`t have any funds to send anybody down there for the weekend.”
