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(Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)
Tucson Alumni Classic
Aug. 5-7: Sporting Chance Center
Lester Medford is surrounded by Badgers.
The 2016 Tucson Alumni Classic ran from Friday, Aug. 5 to Sunday Aug. 7 at the Sporting Chance Center with Amphitheater defeating Tucson High 80-67 in the championship game on Sunday.
The tournament renewed high school basketball rivalries between 12 local high school teams and was sponsored by former University of Arizona women’s basketball standout Apryl Garnett-Neal (1989-93).
Garnett-Neal and her husband, former ASU standout Lester Neal, held a very successful tournament for Phoenix-area teams a few weeks ago with North defeating South Mountain, 64-60.
Carl Hayden, Tempe, McClintock, Trevor Browne, Maryvale, Dobson, Mesa, Desert Vista, Mountain Pointe, Marana Mountain View, Red Mountain and Camelback were the other Phoenix teams taking part.
Former Amphitheater and San Francisco standout Tim Derksen earned the Classic MVP honor after scoring 33 points in the championship game. Derksen will be heading to Spain later this month to play for Marin-PeixeGalego.
“Playing for San Francisco was the greatest experience,” Derksen said. “The coaches believed in hard work with a strong set of values. It fit me perfectly. I matured a lot in my four years there.”
Derksen was joined on the court by former Baylor standout Lester Medford, Domineik Banks, Malcolm Millner and Fred Simms among others. Medford will be leaving for Hungary later this month.
“I never thought our team would ever get back together in a competitive atmosphere again,” Derksen said of his Panther teammates. “This was the most fun I’ve had playing all summer.”
Simms scored 16 points and Medford scored 14. Banks added 11. For Tucson, Cameron Volk led with 18 points while Sama Taku and Jason “Flip” Johnson scored nine each.
Cameron Volk
First Round
Rincon over Sahuaro
Tucson over Sunnyside
Mountain View over Canyon del Oro
Santa Rita over Palo Verde
Amphitheater over Nogales
Sabino over Cienega
Second Round
Mountain View over Nogales
Cienega over Pueblo
Sunnyside over CDO
Rincon over Pueblo
Tucson over Mountain View
Amphitheater over Santa Rita
Tim Derksen.
Third Round
Santa Rita over Sunnyside
Cienega over Mountain View
Santa Rita over Sahuaro
Semifinals
Tucson over Rincon
Amphi over Sabino
Elimination
Sabino over Cienega
Santa Rita over Rincon
Winner’s Bracket Final
Amphi 56, Tucson 51 (OT)
Elimination Final
Tucson 54, Sabino 52 (OT)
Championship
Amphi 80, Tucson 67
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here, on AZPreps365.com and on the pages of the Vail Voice and the Tanque Verde Voice. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
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