Big plans are brewing for this year’s Gallatin Invitational Basketball Tournament
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Big plans are brewing for this year’s Gallatin Invitational Basketball Tournament as school officials prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the event, which began in 1977 in answer to the termination of the Grand River Conference pre-season tournament.
A bigger than ususal crowd is expected for the Saturday night championships. That’s because Gallatin High School will be recognizing members of past all-tournament teams during the halftime of each championship game. The ladies will be honored at the break of the girls title game and the men will be recognized during halftime of the boys championship. An informal, evening-long reception will be held in the high school library for the players and their families. They will also be admitted to the games free of charge.
Though the GIT began in `77, the first all-tournament teams were not selected until 1981. That’s 20 years. Over 400 all-tournament honors bestowed. Of course, some are repeat selections from one year to another, but that still means at least 250 honorees will have the opportunity to take part in this year’s festivities.
Here is a most-impressive list of Gallatin’s all-tournament honorees who are invited back for this year’s event:
Girls Julie Kerns, Teena Bradley, Libby Pitzenberger, Lori Beck, Sally Spillman, Dawn Tuttle, Julie Wood, Tina Deppen, Shelley Fales, Heather Reynolds, Tara Lockridge, Rhonda Frost, Paige Helton, Brandi Dixon, Kara Brown, Christy Wilson, Mandi Spidle, Ashley Wilson, Kim Ruse, Natalie Bird, Sara Strasser, Cindy Critten, Amy Woodruff, Devin Hamilton, Kim Sweatman, Andi Wilkinson, Allison Spidle, Rochelle Davitt, Erin Sweatman and Kayli Burrell.
Boys Troy Hacker, Terry Collins, Syd Weybrew, Dennis Hacker, Clint Barnes, Loren Adkins, Clint Cole, Jason Tolen, Jeff Donovan, Jimmy O’Rourke, Darin Hamilton, Will Salmon, Scott Shipers, Clint Pitzenberger, Daniel Madison, Kelly Vanatta, Jesse Bird, Cody Bird, David Woodruff, Eric Hamilton, Ira Sloan, Zac Johnson, Matt Adkison, Tray Whitt, Robert Wiley, Rusty Heldenbrand, Chad Sullenger, Quentin Carroll, Robert Heldenbrand and Nathan Henderson.
*****
Coaches will meet next Tuesday to seed this year’s Gallatin Invitational. In my mind, Hamilton and South Harrison are the top pair in the boys bracket since Trenton graduated all 5 starters off last season’s championship squad. Trenton gets the nod at #1 in the girls bracket. Gallatin and Maysville look to me to be #’s 2 and 3, not necessarily in the above order.