Having her father as coach has definitely helped senior Anna Schillinger, and apparently it’s pretty good for the Concordia softball program as well.FORT WAYNE – Some of the top boys basketball players in the Midwest are returning to Fort Wayne, and this time, fans can watch the action on the Internet.
Part of the 19th annual Bill Hensley Memorial Run-N-Slam All-Star Classic at Spiece Fieldhouse and other city gyms this weekend will be shown on www.gymratsbasketball.tv. The Sunday semifinals and finals of the gold brackets will be filmed and shown later on the website.
The tournament is named after Bill Hensley, the founder of Gym Rats Basketball and the co-founder of Spiece Fieldhouse. It is billed as one of the higher-profile events of its kind in Indiana.
“This is my favorite event we do all year,” Gym Rats director Todd Hensley said. “It gives us an opportunity to pay respect to Bill and his long-lasting positive influence on young athletes.”
Games will begin tonight at several gyms around Fort Wayne – including the main venue at Spiece Fieldhouse – and will culminate with the championships Sunday.
And there could definitely be some stars wanting their close-ups Sunday.
“It’s some of the best basketball you can see in the Midwest,” Hensley said.
Highlighted by ESPN’s No. 1 player in the nation in the 2013 class, Chicago Simeon’s Jabari Parker, some of the teams are loaded with talented players. Parker, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward, has yet to make a decision among suitors that include Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Ohio State and North Carolina.
Parker’s Mac Irvin Fire team includes Chicago Whitney Young teammates Jahlil Okafor (No. 2 player in 2014 class) and Thomas Hamilton Jr. (No. 42 in 2013). Both players are also undecided on their college future.
Also in the field will be the Spiece Indy Heat, which includes local and state talent. Northrop twins Bryson Scott, the No. 45 player in 2013, and Brenton Scott play on a team that includes Park Tudor’s Trevon Bluiett and two top-15 players in the 2014 class in Indianapolis Tech’s Trey Lyles and Evansville Bosse’s Jaquan Lyle.
The tournament will offer four brackets, with seniors- (64 teams), juniors- (64 teams), sophomores- (64 teams) and freshmen-to-be (24 teams).
There’s also Danny Granger’s D1 Ambassadors with Bryce Alford, son of former IU star and current New Mexico coach Steve Alford; and The Family, which has James Young, the No. 10 player in 2013; and Kendall Stephens and A.J. Patty of the Illinois Wolves.
