Clintonville showed it has plenty of room for basketball as several area girls teams swarmed the community for a pair of holiday tournaments hosted by the burg’s two high schools.
Bishop Watterson put on its annual Winter Classic, affectionately also called WoodyFest, after coach Tom Woodford, Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 28-29.
This year’s event was different in that it showcased only teams from the Columbus area. In the past the tournament has played host to squads from all over the state.
A benefit to having all Central Ohio schools participating is the better audiences the teams play for.
“The out-of-town teams don’t bring anybody,” Woodford said. “This year, the people from all the communities came to watch. It’s bigger crowds.
“And it gives us a chance to highlight our new building to seven other Central District teams.”
Whetstone coach Scott Radde got the idea of hosting his own holiday classic after rounding up the team for a trip to Mt. Gilead last year and being told the opponent didn’t arrive.
“Instead of traveling an hour away we can put together something unique here and have some area teams come in,” he said.
Radde invited Westerville North, Whitehall and Walnut Ridge and dubbed the tourney the ‘W’ Classic, naturally.
“I don’t want it to be just at Whetstone,” he said. “Next year someone else can host. But we all have a booked-in holiday tournament and the other coaches have been very receptive of it.”
The Braves’ coach already has his sights on the future and will try to keep the theme if the tournament expands.
“I’d like to see it grow,” Radde said. “Obviously we’ll have to hunt down a few more ‘W’ teams.”
On opening day at Watterson, Hilliard Darby beat Bishop Ready 41-39. Ready led 17-15 at the half but the Panthers made a surge in the back periods. Upper Arlington topped Dublin Jerome 46-36. Dublin Coffman squeezed by Bishop Hartley 51-44 despite the Hawks’ 19-point third quarter and Watterson handily beat Canal Winchester 68-35.
Ashley Andracki led Eagles scoring with 17 points while Regina Smith scored 15 and Kayla Cook had 12.
Over at Whetstone, Westerville North beat Whitehall 44-29 in their first round match and Walnut Ridge beat the Braves 52-40.
Symiah Campbell had 10 points for Whetstone. Elizabeth Khoury added nine.
Day Two found Westerville North taking home the trophy at the ‘W’ Classic with a 64-22 win over Walnut Ridge. Whitehall beat Whetstone 47-19 in the consolation match.
Watterson went 2-0 at its tournament, beating Upper Arlington 53-40. The Golden Bears led 29-22 at the break but the Eagles made a strong second-half comeback.
Andracki drained four three-pointers and finished with 22 points. Smith scored 13.
Ready narrowly led Jerome 23-21 at the half then pulled away in the back stretch to beat the Celtics 47-33, and Hartley beat Darby 46-40 in overtime.
The Braves (3-6, 1-3) host rival Centennial Friday, Jan. 6, then welcome Linden-McKinley Tuesday, Jan. 10.
“We are playing better basketball as a whole than last year,” Radde said. “I’m encouraged by the way they’re responding to what’s been going on.
“Right now, it’s all about our offense. We’ll work on shooting in practice. We solve that and we should be fine going forward.”
Woodford likes where his Eagles (7-1, 1-0) are sitting currently.
“You can’t be too upset with your only loss to Pickerington North,” he said. “It’s still early. We’ve got a lot of games coming. Right now, though, I feel very good.”
Watterson heads to DeSales Saturday, Jan. 7, before hosting Olentangy Liberty Monday, Jan. 9, and Gahanna Wednesday, Jan. 11.
“I don’t want it to be just at Whetstone. Next year someone else can host. But we all have a booked-in holiday tournament and the other coaches have been very receptive of it.”
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