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HodagSports.com
8th Annual HodagSports.com Alumni Basketball Tournament was brought to you by HodagSports.com
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Class of 2004 Repeats as Alumni Basketball Champs
RHINELANDER - Move over 2001, there is a new dynasty in Alumni Tournament Basketball.
For the second straight year the Class of 2004 lifted the HodagSports.com RHS Alumni Tournament Championship Trophy, beating the surprise of the tournament, the Class of 2008, 43-39 in the Championship.
The Class of 2004 returns in defense of its title. Last-year's co-Most Outstanding Players, Mike Frasier and Keith White lead the team. In fact all of this year's team was on last year's championship roster.
Keith White scored 17 of his game-high 21 points in the first half and the '04's took control for got with an 8-0 spurt in the final 1:37 of the first to go up by nine at the break.
But the Class of '08 was a resilient group, back-to-back threes cut the lead to 34-31 with 7:47 to go, but another quick 5-0 burst put the '04's back up by eight and the '08's would never get back to within four.
White's 24-point championship performance was enough to earn him co-Tournament Most Outstanding Player Honors along with Tim Howell, Jr., who had 46 points in three games as the Class of '08 when on its unlikely tournament run.
The '08's started the day with a stunning 53-41 ouster of the Class of 2001, which was last year's runner up and the champion the two years prior. It continued with a 59-54 win over the combined Classes of 2007 and 1998. The '08's started the game on a 12-0 run, but trailed 25-23 at the break. Leading by three with eight seconds to go, Tyler Nelson's steal and two subsequent free throws iced the game.
The '04's were pushed in the preliminaries, but never put on full upset alert. They beat the Class of 2009 46-36 in the first round and HodagSports.com 48-40 in the semifinals.
The Class of '07/'98 took third, beating HodagSports.com 65-44. Fourth was the best finish ever for HodagSports.com in the tourney. The Class of 2001 won its last two games, including a 48-29 win over the Class of 2005 for fifth.
There was plenty of activity surrounding the event. The Class of 2001 wore special T-Shirts during play honoring fallen classmate Sgt. Ryan Adams, who lost his life earlier this year fighting for our country in Iraq.
Outside the gym, the RBA sold concession and raised money. There was also a card out in the lobby for Chet White, who couldn't make the tournament this year as he prepares to get married this coming Friday. The fun continued after the tournament with a get-together at Bucketheads Sports Bar.
On behalf of HodagSports.com, I would like to thank Tournament Director Brandon Karaba for putting on a fine event once again this year as well as Metro Screenprinting and Bucketheads for their contributions to this year's tournament.
Thanks to all the players for showing up. It was a fun time once again this year. We look forward to seeing everyone back again in 2010.
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2009 RHS ALUMNI TOURNEY RESULTS
Quarterfinals
HodagSports.com - 50
Class of '05 - 42
Class of '98/'07 - 60
Class of '96 - 54
Class of '04 - 46
Class of '09 - 36
Class of '08 - 53
Class of '01 - 41
Consolation Games
Class of '05 -59
Class of '09 - 34
Class of '01 - 57
Class of '96 - 52
Semifinals
Class of '04 - 48
HodagSports.com - 40
Class of '08 - 59
Class of '98/'07 - 54
5th Place Game
Class of '01 - 48
Class of '05 - 29
3rd Place Game
Class of '98/'07 - 65
HodagSports.com - 44
Championship
Class of '04 - 43
Class of '08 - 39
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The Class of 2004 poses with the HodagSports.com Alumni Tournament Championship Trophy, wearing its championship T-Shirts from Metro Screenprinting and Embroidery. Team Members included (Front Row, from L to R) Jeremy “Woody” Huhnstock, Jake Linder, Dusty Grant, Nick Karaba, Josh Brown (Back Row) Ross McDonald, Keith White, Mike Ottman, Tyler Loftus, Matt Knott and Mike Frasier.
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