Capital Classic runs Feb. 11-15
The Capital Classic Middle School Basketball Tournament has expanded to 24 teams. It began Feb. 11 and will conclude Saturday, Feb. 15, at Central Middle School, 211 Delaware Ave., Dover. The tournament is in its ninth year and will feature top 12 boys teams and 12 girls teams from Delaware. There will be six brackets decided by win-lose records and strength of schedule. All 24 teams will play two games during the five-day tournament.
The tentative top-seeded boys' team will be undefeated Smynra Eagles. The Eagles are led by coach Jim Kiger, whose team won the Capital Classic back in 2008 with an undefeated season starring Eric Laster. Laster went on to star at Polytech High School and now is at Loyola University. The second seed will be the 2012 Domino’s Bracket champion Bayard Middle from Wilmington. Mariner and Prestige will round out the top four.
In the Texas Roadhouse Bracket, the Dover Central Middle boys, coached by Stephen Poole, are led by arguably the best middle school player in the state, Thomas Hoskins. Dover will be the No. 2 seed while Seaford, with only one loss, will be the top seed. Hoskins is averaging 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots per game. Dover currently has two losses to Smyrna and Mariner. Rounding out the bracket are Postlethwait and Woodbridge. Both teams have three losses
In the Walgreens Boys' Bracket, Beacon will play in its first tournament, while Fifer, last year's undefeated champion, Providence Creek and Gauger-Cobbs will round out the bracket. Gauger-Cobbs is also from the Blue Hen Conference and in its first year in the Capital Classic. Beacon upset Mariner Feb. 5.
On the girls' side, undefeated Beacon Middle coached by Christie Smith will be the top seed in the McDonald’s Bracket, which Milford Middle won last year. This will be Beacon's first year in the tournament, and the girls are expected to make a big splash. Also in that bracket should be Gauger-Cobbs, currently with only one loss, Providence Creek and either Seaford or Mariner.
Seaford or Mariner will appear in the Halpern Eye Bracket along with the Lady Senators of Dover coached by Andrea Woodard, Smyrna and Fifer. The H&R Block Bracket should feature Campus Community, Woodbridge, Bayard and Postlethwait.
The Dover Post and GateHouse Media will be the presenting sponsors for the event. Other sponsors include Domino's Pizza, McDonald's, Walgreens, Texas Roadhouse, PNC Bank, Halpern Eye, Redner's Markets, Dunkin Donuts, H&R Block, Med Express (Home of the $20 Sports Physical), The Dover High Print Shop, and Pro ATI Physical Therapy, which will provide athletic trainers for the event.
The Delaware State Cheerleaders/Dance Team will perform at the tournament. Admission will be $3 for students and $5 for adults each day, and a concession stand will be available. For details, contact Tournament Director Bill Ardito at billardito@msn.com.
