Hey...Smitty Classic is this weekend.

The 7th Annual WQKT/Steve Smith Holiday Hoops Classic is set for this Saturday at the College of Wooster's Timken Gymnasium. This year's Classic is sponsored by Orlo Auto Parts.

The Classic is named after legendary Orrville basketball coach and 2003 Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee Steve Smith.

The Classic is a real source of pride for the Orrville community and pays tribute to a coaching giant.  Mike Breckenridge of WQKT radio does outstanding work running the tournament with precision and catering to the many whims of teams & fans alike.

Funds raised via ticket sales go toward a scholarship named after Coach Smith and is awarded to an Orrville senior during the annual Senior Assembly in May.

The slate of six games begins at noon and features seven local teams. Four WCAL teams (Dalton, Norwayne, Northwestern & Hillsdale), two OCC teams (Orrville & Wooster) and 1 PAC-7 team (Triway) comprise the local participants.

The full lineup is as follows....

12:00pm NORWAYNE vs. MANCHESTER
1:45pm NORTHWESTERN vs. AVON
3:30pm DALTON vs. LUTHERAN EAST
5:15pm TRIWAY vs. BRUNSWICK
7:00pm WOOSTER vs. OLENTANGY LIBERTY
8:45pm ORRVILLE vs. HILLSDALE

The finale between Orrville & Hillsdale is the only matchup pitting two area teams against each other and also a rematch of last year's Division III Wooster District semifinal which Orrville won 61-48 in a game that was much closer than the 13-point margin.

Smitty Classic History
Triway, Wooster, Northwestern are the only 3 local schools to play in each of the previous six Smitty's. Orrville did not play in the initial Smitty (think it was a scheduling conflict of some sort)....but is the only area school to have an perfect Smitty Classic record (currently 5-0), unless you're counting Norwayne's 1-0 record, which I'm not.

Here's the year-by-year results for all six previous Smitty Classics...again, thanks to Mike Breckenridge at WQKT for providing the detail. This document can also be found in the menu bar at the top of the page...look under "Basketball."

See you there
For my money, there isn't a better bargain than seeing 6 high school games for $8. That's a steal. Come out and support these kids and honor Smitty's legacy.  Presale tickets are available at any participating school or at the gate.  Make a day of it, or just come and watch your favorite team. This is one of those things that could disappear if there isn't enough support. It's a unique event at a great venue. Don't take it for granted.