Lutheran Basketball Association of America

[vu72]

If you think the Horizon League Tournament brought economic value to Valpo, imagine what the LBAA annual tournament does for the city!  There are great pictures on Valpo main site here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/valparaiso_university/8592231647/#in/photostream

As you can see from the photos, the Chapel was absolutely packed for what appeared to be the opening gathering.  The logistics for running the tourney must be mind blowing.  There were teams from 13 states as far away as Texas, Florida and Nevada.

Looked like at least 2500 people in the Chapel.  Imagine the economic impact!  Obviously, this is also a great recruiting advantage for Valpo as you provide a chance for parents and kids to see the campus well before they make a college decision.

Nicely done to all involved, including Rod Moore, who is on the National Board.

[a3uge]

Cool cool cool.

Question: are colleges banned from hosting high school tournaments? A Lutheran HS tourney would be cool. I know Sam Dekker on the Wisconsin Badgers came from a Lutheran high school (they won state on his buzzer beater)... there was a guy talked about here from a Fort Wayne lutheran school that got a Valpo offfer (maybe?).

[historyman]

Here's the banner that I saw in the ARC that used the word "Saders" instead of Crusaders. It was from Holy Cross in Ft Wayne.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/valparaiso_university/8592170301/#in/photostream/lightbox/

[wh]

If you think the Horizon League Tournament brought economic value to Valpo, imagine what the LBAA annual tournament does for the city!  There are great pictures on Valpo main site here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/valparaiso_university/8592231647/#in/photostream

As you can see from the photos, the Chapel was absolutely packed for what appeared to be the opening gathering.  The logistics for running the tourney must be mind blowing.  There were teams from 13 states as far away as Texas, Florida and Nevada.

Looked like at least 2500 people in the Chapel.  Imagine the economic impact!  Obviously, this is also a great recruiting advantage for Valpo as you provide a chance for parents and kids to see the campus well before they make a college decision.

Nicely done to all involved, including Rod Moore, who is on the National Board.

We had some people coming in from out of state over the weekend, but waited too long to book hotel rooms. There was nothing available anywhere in town.  Traffic was heavy, restaurants busy, and cash registers humming in the Vale of Paradise.    Plus, all the visitors are pleasant, family oriented, a lot of the cars had signs wishing their teams well, etc.  A good win-win for everybody. 

[talksalot]

are colleges banned from hosting high school tournaments?

yes, so the LBAA had to drop the HS component a couple of years ago.  AND, it was announced (not by me) at the tournament awards ceremony that the NCAA has changed the wording on the recruitment section of the manual authorizing coaching contacts as early at 7th grade... which COULD mean the end of VU hosting this tournament (40+ year history).  The LBAA folks are all over this wording to get it resolved in a hurry.

This tournament books all of the hotel rooms in Portage, Michigan City and Merrillville that it can get its hands on.  The value is incredible to the whole region.