The 2011 Merrill Thompson Tip-Off Classic hits Mertz Mortorelli Gym on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19. This year's tournament features a four-team field - Edgewood College, Finlandia University and Lake Superior State University in addition to the Yellowjackets.
On Friday, Edgewood and Lake Superior State will play at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Yellowjackets and Finlandia at 8:00 p.m. The teams that lose the first-round games will play in the consolation game at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The winners will follow, playing in the championship game at 3:00 p.m.
All four games of the tournament will be broadcast live through the iFan Sports Network, found online at www.ifan.tv.
The tournament is named after Merrill Thompson, a longtime educator in Superior and an ardent supporter of Yellowjacket basketball. Thompson was recruited to play collegiately at UW-Superior in 1934, but was unable to as a result of rheumatic fever. For decades, Thompson could be seen at Yellowjacket basketball games, sitting at center court about halfway up the bleachers, pulling for the team that once recruited him. Upon his passing, the entire team and coaching staff showed up at the visitation to pay their respects to one of the greatest fans the program has ever known.
"Every program has their supporters, but there are few that had someone like Merrill Thompson standing behind them every step of the way," athletics director Steve Nelson. "To have someone like Mr. Thompson, whose passion for Yellowjacket basketball was unwavering behind your program is an amazing thing. The athletes feed off that. They find a little bit extra to compete with when they know that someone with that kind of passion is right there with them."
The tournament is sponsored by the National Bank of Commerce. All kids in 8th grade and under will receive free admission to the games for the weekend and the first 250 kids in attendance will receive a free basketball bank, courtesy of National Bank of Commerce.
"We hope that a lot of people come out to honor a person that is very important to our program and to see some great basketball," head coach Matt Siverling said. "Kids get in free, and in these tough times you can't beat the price. We hope that our stands are filled and that we can put on a great show for the youth and our community."
