40th Anniversary HAECO Invitational
Presented by NewBridge Bank
Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center; December 26, 28, 29, 2015
Pre-Tournament Notes
For Immediate Release. Dec. 8, 2015
► Happy 40th Anniversary: Four decades ago, seven Greensboro Sports Council members envisioned a high school basketball tournament that would raise funds for its participating schools. Jim Betts, Lem Cox, Bradley Faircloth, Stanley Frank, Doug Galyon, Fred Joseph and E. Kemp Reece acted on their vision and created the Little 4. Forty years later, the mission remains, and the HAECO Invitational presented by NewBridge Bank celebrates its 40th anniversary.
► Winning Coaches Return: In celebration of the HAECO Invitational’s 40th anniversary, the tournament will welcome back its winning coaches on championship night. The HAECO Invitational tournament committee has invited all of the men and women who have won HAECO Invitational championships since the tournament was founded as the Little 4 in 1976. The tournament’s winning coaches, 26 men and women, represent all who have coached in this prestigious event. The winning women’s coaches will be recognized prior to the women’s championship game, and the winning men’s coaches will be honored prior to the men’s championship contest.
► Panthers Return: For the first time since 2007, all four of the HAECO Invitational’s original schools will play in the tournament. The Dudley High School Panthers, boasting 10 men’s championships and one women’s title, return to the HAECO Invitational this year. Dudley High School, Grimsley High School, Page High School and Smith High School are the original schools that played in the tournament then known as the Little 4, and the Panthers won the inaugural tournament in 1976. The Panthers last played the HAECO in 2007 but withdrew to play in a different tournament in 2008.
► Tournament Dates: Every few years, one of the HAECO Invitational tournament days falls on a Sunday, and because the North Carolina High School Athletic Association still prohibits its teams from playing games on Sunday, the HAECO Invitational is forced to alter its schedule. This year, Christmas falls on a Friday meaning that scenario is in play. The tournament will open on its traditional date, Dec. 26. After taking Sunday off to adhere to the NCHSAA rule, the tournament will resume on Monday, Dec. 28 with the semifinals and conclude on Tuesday the 29th with the championship round; championship game times are set for 5 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
► Aviation Careers Information Fair: The third annual Aviation Careers Information Fair is set for Tuesday, Dec. 29 in the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Special Events Center lobby; this event, founded by tournament title sponsor HAECO Americas in 2013, is intended to educate HAECO Invitational players and their families about the many available careers in the aviation industry. Those currently scheduled to participate are HAECO Americas, HondaJet, GTCC, Purolator, Machine Specialty, Inc., the Andrews Aviation Academy and the Phoenix Aviation Academy. It is possible additional entities could join the information fair between now and the HAECO Invitational. Additional details will be released closer to the event.
► Championship Teams Celebrate at HAECO: Following this year’s HAECO Invitational, the championship teams will be invited to a victory celebration at HAECO Americas at Piedmont Triad International Airport. The teams, including players, coaches, managers and school administrators, will be invited to HAECO on Saturday morning, Jan. 9, 2016. The event will include a tour of the HAECO Americas facility.
► More than $1.6 Million Contributed to the Schools: Many things make the HAECO Invitational presented by NewBridge Bank an exceptional high school basketball tournament, but what makes the HAECO Invitational unique is that tournament proceeds are donated to charity and the participating schools. Last year, the eight participating schools each received $14,000 meaning the tournament donated $112,000 to the schools. The Greensboro Sports Council has donated more than $1.6 Million to the schools that participated in the tournament.
► Sponsors Help with Advertising: Several HAECO Invitational sponsors are helping advertise the tournament through their in-kind sponsorships. Fairway Outdoor Advertising is once again providing digital billboards while the Greensboro News & Record, WFMY-TV, 98.7 Simon, 102 Jamz, 97.1, QMG, 93.1 The Wolf, WKRR Rock 92 and 107.5 WKZL are also advertising the tournament as in-kind sponsors.
► Sponsorship: HAECO Invitational revenue comes from ticket sales and sponsorships; sales success contributes directly to how much money is donated to charities and the participating schools each year. The Greensboro Sports Council is very active in raising funds for the tournament, but for more than a decade, participating schools have shared in the sponsorship sales efforts. Each school is soliciting a minimum of $1,500 in sponsorship. HAECO Invitational sponsorship is among the most economical sports marketing opportunities available to Piedmont Triad companies.
► Charity: In addition to making its donations to the participating schools, the HAECO Invitational makes charitable contributions. Past tournament proceeds have been contributed to Greensboro Urban Ministries, Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test, the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer, the Bryan Family YMCA, the Children’s Home Society, the Eastern Guilford High School Fund, the Joey Cheek Fund, North Carolina State Games, the Girls and Boys Club, the Greensboro Aquatic Center’s ‘Learn to Swim’ program and The First Tee of the Triad.
► Bill Lee Scholarship: The Bill Lee Scholarship is awarded to four HAECO Invitational participants each year. Since its inception in 2001, 61 students have now been awarded this scholarship which was established in memory of Bill Lee, a Greensboro native and resident who was a major supporter of local sports. He was deeply involved with Greensboro’s minor league baseball efforts, basketball and golf. The Greensboro Sports Council established the scholarship following Lee’s death in 2001. Recipients are nominated by their schools, and the Greensboro Sports Council awards the scholarships. Each nomination is considered with the following criteria: 40% academic, 40% athletic and 20% civic. Four student-athletes receive a scholarship each year.
► Steak ‘N Shake Shooters Shootout: The Steak ‘N Shake Shooters Shootout, a halftime basketball shooting contest, returns to the HAECO Invitational this year. The Steak ‘N Shake Shooters Shootout will be conducted during each of the 24 tournament games except for the two championship contests. During halftime, a maximum of 50 people may purchase a Steak ‘N Shake Shooters Shootout ticket for $1 for one chance to shoot a free throw. Those that make the shot will advance to the next round until one shooter remains on each end. Those two shooters will shoot again to determine a winner for that game who earns a Steak ‘N Shake gift certificate for an order of Shooters (mini cheeseburgers) and a HAECO Invitational T-Shirt. Winners from individual games do not advance to a winner’s competition; each halftime features its own complete competition.
► The Tournament: The HAECO Invitational was founded in 1976 as the Little 4. At that time, the Big Four Atlantic Coast Conference schools, Duke, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest, competed in the Big 4 Tournament in the Greensboro Coliseum. The HAECO Invitational was created to mirror the tournament that showcased North Carolina’s ACC teams and raise funds for the participating high schools’ athletic programs. In 1978, the tournament expanded to eight teams with Ragsdale, High Point Andrews, High Point Central and Thomasville High School joining the original four. The next two years, in 1979 and ’80, the tournament returned to its original four schools before expanding to eight teams permanently in 1981. The women’s side of the tournament began in 1980. The HAECO Invitational is now widely considered the most successful holiday basketball tournament in North Carolina. For a more complete look at tournament history, please visit http://www.haecoinvitational.com/history-results/.
► 2014 Tournament Recap: Last year, Greensboro Day School made tournament history becoming the first school to win four-consecutive tournaments twice. The top-seeded Bengals defeated Ragsdale, Page High School and Northwest Guilford on the way to coach Freddy Johnson’s record 13th men’s title. On the women’s side, the Northwest Guilford Vikings ended a three-year run by Page High School and took top honors. Northwest defeated Ragsdale, Greensboro Day School and Northern Guilford on their way to their fourth tournament title.
► Tournament Notes:
■ The Page High School women (1988 – ’92), the Western Guilford women (1992-’95) and the Greensboro Day School men (2005-’08 and 2011-14) are the only teams that have won four consecutive HAECO Invitational titles.
■ Greensboro Day men’s coach Freddy Johnson is the only coach in tournament history that has won four-consecutive HAECO Invitational titles twice. He took the title in 2005-08 and 2011-14. Johnson has 13 HAECO Invitational titles – more than any other coach in tournament history.
■ The Greensboro Day School men have enjoyed an impressive presence in the HAECO Invitational championship game. The Bengals have played for the title in eight of the last 10 years and 16 of the last 23 years.
■ The Page High School women and the Greensboro Day School men lead the overall HAECO Invitational history with 13 tournament championships.
■ Page High School coaches Luke McKeel and Deborah Jones have accounted for 11 of the Pirates’ 13 HAECO Invitational women’s championships. McKeel won seven of the first nine tournaments, and Jones has won four of the last six including three straight from 2011-13. Former Pirate coach Kathy Turner won the other two Lady Pirate titles.
■ After joining the tournament in 2000, the top-seeded Northwest Guilford Lady Vikings have played in the championship game in nine of the last 12 years winning four times. Coach Darlene Joyner joined the Vikings in 2002, and all of their championship-game appearances have come under Coach Joyner meaning she has made nine appearances in the championship game in her 13 seasons as the Vikings’ coach.
■ Either Page High School or Northwest Guilford has played in every women’s championship game since 2003. Page has played in four of the last five, and Northwest has played in nine of the last 12. In addition, either the Lady Vikings or the Lady Pirates have won each of the last five tournaments, and not surprisingly, the two are the first and second seeds, respectively, for 2015.
■ Page star Paris Kea became the first three-time MVP in tournament history in 2014. Four players have done it twice, but the former Page Pirate is the first to do it three times.
► Women’s Stats: The Page Pirates have won more women’s tournaments than any other school with 13 titles. The Lady Pirates have played for the championship 17 times, also more than any other team. The Page women have won 76 percent of the championship games in which they have played.
■ Championships ■ Title Game Appearances
■ Page High School 13 ■ Page High School 17
■ Grimsley High School 5 ■ Smith High School 10
■ Northwest Guilford 4 ■ Northwest Guilford 9
■ Western Guilford 4 ■ Dudley High School 9
■ Smith High School 3 ■ Grimsley High School 7
■ Northeast Guilford 3 ■ Western Guilford 6
■ Dudley High School 1 ■ Northeast Guilford 5
■ Ragsdale High School 1 ■ Eastern Guilford 2
■ Northern Guilford 1
■ Ragsdale High School 1
► Men’s Stats: Greensboro Day School has won more men’s championships than any other school taking top honors 13 times. The Bengals have won 76 percent of their title game appearances, but Dudley High School holds the mark for the most title-game appearances with 19.
■ Championships ■ Title Game Appearances
■ Greensboro Day 13 ■ Dudley High School 19
■ Dudley High School 10 ■ Greensboro Day School 17
■ Page High School 8 ■ Grimsley High School 13
■ Grimsley High School 6 ■ Page High School 13
■ Smith High School 2 ■ Smith High School 7
■ Northern Guilford 2
■ Northeast Guilford 2
■ Northern Guilford 1
■ Northwest Guilford 1
■ Southeast Guilford 1
■ Southwest Guilford 1
■ Eastern Guilford 1
■ Ragsdale High School 1
►Coaching Statistics:
■ Women’s Wins by Coach: ■ Men’s Wins by Coach:
- Luke McKeel (PHS) 7 - Freddy Johnson (GDS) 13
- Deborah Jones (PHS) 4 - Mac Morris (PHS) 7
- Darlene Joyner (NWG) 4 - David Price (DHS) 7
- Ginger Moore (WG 4 - Phil Weaver (GHS) 4
- Phil Weaver (GHS) 3 - Bill Chambers (DHS) 1
- Mike Bradley (NEG) 2 - Jack Chatham (DHS) 1
- Rick Hartsook (GHS) 2 - Darren Corbett (GHS) 1
- Kathy Turner (PHS) 2 - Steve Hankins (DHS) 1
- Kris Britton (DHS) 1 - Robert Kent (PHS) 1
- Hank Bullard (SHS) 1 - Reggie Peace (SHS) 1
- Jerry Fuqua (RHS) 1 - Art Wade (SHS) 1
- Crystal Hazelwood (NEG) 1 - Bill Walton (GHS) 1
- Ashton Jeffries (SHS) 1
- Lou Roshelli (SHS) 1
► Winning Coaches: Of the 16 men and women coaching in this year’s HAECO Invitational, only five have won the tournament. Freddy Johnson won all 13 of his HAECO Invitational titles at Greensboro Day; Bill Chambers, who won the tournament in 1983 while coaching at Dudley, is now the Northern Guilford coach. On the women’s side, only Deborah Jones (Page), Darlene Joyner (Northwest) and Jerry Fuqua (Ragsdale) have won the HAECO Invitational.
► Overtime Championships: The HAECO Invitational championship game has gone to overtime three times, and all three have involved the Greensboro Day School Bengals. The first two were between Dudley and Greensboro Day. In 1987, Greensboro Day beat Dudley 57-55 in Greensboro Day’s first HAECO Invitational appearance. In 1992, the tables were turned as the Panthers beat the Bengals 66-63. In 2013, the title tilt included the Bengals and Page High School; the second-seeded Bengals upset the top-seeded Pirates 53-51 after one extra stanza.
► 2015 Participating Schools: Dudley High School, Greensboro Day School, Grimsley High School, Northern Guilford, Northwest Guilford, Page High School, Ragsdale High School and Smith High School.
► Tickets: HAECO Invitational tickets are available through the participating schools or at the Greensboro Coliseum Box Office. Tournament books containing tickets for all games are $15. Single-session tickets are $7 for the opening and semi-final rounds and $10 for championship day. Single session tickets are only available at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center box office.
► 2015 Women’s Seeds (Please see brackets below):
1. Northwest Guilford
2. Page High School
3. Northern Guilford
4. Dudley High School
5. Greensboro Day School
6. Ragsdale High School
7. Smith High School
8. Grimsley High School
► 2015 Men’s Seeds (Please see brackets below):
1. Greensboro Day School
2. Northwest Guilford
3. Dudley High School
4. Northern Guilford
5. Ragsdale High School
6. Grimsley High School
7. Page High School
8. Smith High School
The HAECO Invitational presented by NewBridge Bank is an annual high school basketball tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Founded in 1976 as the Little 4 Invitational, the tournament features men’s and women’s teams representing eight high schools located in Guilford County. The tournament is played at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Tournament proceeds are donated to local charities and the participating schools; the HAECO Invitational is planned and implemented by the Greensboro Sports Council. For more information, please visit www.HAECOInvitational.com and follow the event on Twitter: @HAECOinvit.