Roanoke Rapids to host tournament

ROANOKE RAPIDS — Roanoke Rapids High School Athletic Director Tim Bennett was still taking phone calls and making final plans Monday afternoon in his office.

The Yellow Jackets are set to host the first Kiwanis Women’s Basketball Tip-off Tournament this Thursday and there is plenty to be done to make sure things run smoothly. For Bennett and the brains behind the operation, this tournament will hopefully be the first of many that will shine a spotlight on girls basketball in the area.

Southeast Halifax, Halifax Academy, NCHS-East, KIPP, NCHS-West and Roanoke Rapids will give the local fans a sneak-peak at whom may be the team to beat this season. Warren County and Rocky Mount Charter will round out the field.

“It’s been a lot of planning that’s gone into it,” Bennett said. “This was brought up maybe last basketball season about having a tip-off tournament. We are kind of modeling what Northampton-West has done with the boys tournament, so the ball got rolling in March.”

Bennett contacted each team in the area to see if they were interested and those who replied back  were in and the first ever field was set.

“We just think it’s a great way to give all the girls in the area a chance to play three games,” Bennett said. “It’s a tip-off tournament so everybody is two or three weeks into practice so it gives them a chance to evaluate what they have ... kind of gauge where they are against other teams. We are trying to make it as special for the girls as we can. They deserve it, this should be their time in the spotlight. There hasn’t been a lot of things with girls tournaments in our area. It’s going to take the coaches and the community to jump on board and make this successful.”

Saturday night, one lucky person will have the opportunity to win a $50,000 CD from Farm Bureau Bank courtesy of Sam C. Turner Jr. and Farm Bureau Bank. Raffle tickets will be sold to attendess 18 years of age and older; from those sales, a name will be drawn and that participant must make two out of three half-court shots to be awarded the Farm Bureau Bank CD. Tournament director Mike Newsome said he is looking forward to the event, not only for this year, but alsoin the future.

“I’m going to have fun with it,” adding, “so far we’ve had excellent response and good cooperation. It’s something we’ve wanted to start for these kids and maybe it will grow.”