Nike drops LV tourney

Steve Carp

Friday, May 16, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Nike, which has lent its support to one of the nation's biggest prep summer basketball tournaments, has dropped its sponsorship of the National Prep Championship in Las Vegas.

In addition, Las Vegas Events, which has been a longtime sponsor of the tournament originated by John Farrell 23 years ago, also has withdrawn its support.

"We will continue to sponsor tournaments," a Nike spokesperson said from the shoe company's corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Ore. "But Nike no longer has a relationship with John Farrell and no longer sponsors this particular tournament.

"The decision to leave Mr. Farrell is confidential. But we've stepped up our efforts to ensure that the funds given to tournament and camp directors are used for the athletes and the teams."

Farrell, the head basketball coach at Torrey Pines High School in La Jolla, Calif., did not return phone calls Thursday.

Nike is putting some of its resources used in Las Vegas into a new tournament to be held in mid-July in Orlando, Fla. Nike's pullout leaves adidas' "The Big Time" tournament with the Las Vegas stage to itself. However, word is Farrell may try to keep his tournament going with a new sponsor or through other means.

Farrell has sent out inquiries to West Coast high school coaches about participating in a revamped Las Vegas Invitational this summer at UNLV.

However, it is clear adidas is in control here.

"I thought we could have two tournaments (in Las Vegas)," said Big Time executive director Sonny Vaccaro. "But we kicked their butts and the town can't support both."

At present, 120 teams have committed for the July 15-20 adidas event. Tournament director Larry McKay said as many as 150 will be competing by the time play begins at four sites in Las Vegas.

"This thing has gone off the board," McKay said. "Some of these summer teams are just getting organized and I'm getting phone calls every day."

The Nike tournament, which began as the Las Vegas Invitational as a means to give local players additional exposure, grew into a weeklong hoopfest with hundreds of teams and a girls division in recent years.

But with the arrival of adidas two years ago, the quality of the Nike event began to suffer. Some of the better teams and players opted to play in The Big Time and Vaccaro's tournament grew quickly in stature.

From 64 teams in 1995 to 100 last year to the expected 150 this year, The Big Time figures to attract many of the nation's best AAU summer programs.

The Illinois Fire will be back to defend its title and will be joined by the runner-up New Orleans Jazz. Also committed to the adidas tourney are the Florida Flash, New York Panthers, Memphis Sounds, Franklin Quest of Provo, Utah, Los Angeles Rockfish, the D.C. Capital Players and Nebraska.

"The response has been incredible," Vaccaro said. "I'm surprised and pleased."

Las Vegas will have two teams in The Big Time -- the Las Vegas Stars, coached by Palo Verde's Phil Clarke and made up of Sunset Division players, and the Las Vegas Heat, coached by Ron Montoya and comprising Sunrise Division athletes.

Durango's Al La Rocque, who has coached the Stars for 10 years, is taking this summer off, though he will remain with the team in an administrative capacity.

"I needed a break," La Rocque said. "I'll still be involved, but Phil's going to coach the kids this summer."