WISE 8 Pairings and Times are Here!

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Washington Indpendent School Elite 8 action jumps off Saturday.

March 18, 2010 - The time is almost upon us, as the first annual Washington Indpendent School Elite 8 (WISE 8) Tournament begins Satruday, March 20th. This event, which serves as a means to champion one of a select group of independent schools in the Washington area, is sure to become a staple in DC high school hoops.

WISE 8, the creation of Frank Simpson, Jr and Kevin Wills, has multiple benefits to fans, who of course will see good basketball, but the schools and palyers also.

Friendship Collegiate's Brandon Young is one of several Divsion I-caliber guys that will lace it up in WISE 8 action.

According to Simpson, athletic director and head basketball coach at Don Bosco, one of the confab's paricipants, in addition to the aforementioned crowning, WISE 8 provides "additional opportunities for colleges to recruit players from tournament teams (particularly those unsigned), and finally settle the score between who is truly best in DC Basketball".

He also sees more for Wise 8 on the horizon: "With so many great teams in the DC area like DeMatha, Montrose, Gonzaga, Springbrook, Gywn Park, Potomac (MD), Ballou, and others, the hope is to one day have a city wide, season ending, invitational of 64 that will truly decide who is best in the DC area regardless of league affiliation".

Wills, a longtime local basketball coach and a chief WISE 8 organizer added this event "Allows kids who didn't go to long-standing Catholic schools or public schools an opportunity to have the complete experience, which by definition includes post season play". He also thought the pariticipant schools, Don Bosco, Chavez, Progressive, KIMA, Avalon, Friendship Collegiate, and William Doar, are afforded the benefit of "their teams competing post-season", which could translate into "more experience for coaches and adminstrators, in addition to having something "uniting the student body".

Tickets are available at the door or through the schools, and all games are held at Galludet University's Model High School (Click here for directions). Following are the pairings and schedule. See you there!

Quarter Finals --- March 20, 2010 (Saturday)

2:00pm ---Blue Division-- Avalon vs. KIMA

4:00pm ---Blue Division-- William Doar vs. Friendship

6:00pm ---Red Division-- Progressive vs. Chavez

8:00pm ---Red Division-- Don Bosco vs. Princeton Day

Semi Finals – Sunday 7:15pm and 8:30pm

Consolation/Finals – Monday 6:00pm and 8:00pm