Columnist Spencer Patterson: New rule handcuffs Holiday Prep Classic

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Nov. 11, 1999 | 11:19 a.m.

Spencer Patterson's prep column appears each Thursday. Reach him at spencer@vegas.com or 259-4085.

During its 22-year existence, the annual Holiday Prep Classic boys basketball tournament has established itself as one of the country's premier prep events.

In any given year, it hasn't been uncommon for the tourney to draw a half-dozen nationally ranked squads to town. Just last winter, the field included Virginia's Oak Hill Academy, a team that went on to capture USA Today's mythical national high school championship.

But you won't find Oak Hill among this year's brackets, which were finalized last week. The Warriors, who have made seven appearances over the years, won't be back to defend their title when the event opens on Dec. 18.

Likewise, you won't see North Carolina's Mt. Zion Academy, Holiday Prep champions in 1996 and '97 and runners-up last year, back in Las Vegas to try for a fourth straight championship game appearance.

Nor will you find California powers Mater Dei or Dominguez, teams that have combined for 13 Holiday Prep appearances, among the 64-team field for the '99 event.

In fact, according to tournament executive director Larry McKay, there likely won't be any nationally ranked clubs on the floor when this year's tournament rolls around.

"I don't think we'll have anybody in the top 25 in the country here, but it's still a strong field," McKay said.

There are several reasons for the lack of recognizable headliners, including the dreaded "shoe affiliation" that will have Oak Hill playing in a Nike-sponsored event rather than at the Reebok-sponsored Holiday Prep.

But above all, a new National Federation of State High School Associations rule is responsible for the scarcity of big-name participants.

In the past, tournaments like the Holiday Prep were permitted to offer preferred-schools enticements such as room and board to bring them to town. That's no longer the case.

A new rule requires tournaments to offer the same package to every school participating in their event (with some leeway built in for distance traveled). And for an event like the Holiday Prep Classic, that's not financially feasible.

"If you gave Oak Hill all of their expenses, you'd have to give all other teams coming the same distance the same thing," McKay said. "We can't afford that."

As it turns out, not having the Oak Hills and Mt. Zions of the world involved may ultimately bring about Holiday Prep organizers' original vision for this year's event: a more competitive, less top-heavy tournament.

To that end, McKay and company split the event into four separate 16-team mini-tournaments, with distinct champions crowned in each. Squads are placed in one of the four brackets based on their level of play, thereby avoiding many of the one-sided contests featured in previous Holiday Prep Classics.

So while locals may not turn out in droves to see the nation's most highly touted teams, fans who do come out to Durango and Green Valley High Schools for the event could be in for a much more rewarding basketball experience.

And, according to McKay, they'll still get the chance to watch many of the country's top individual talents in action.

"There's no question that it's a little more balance talent-wise, but there will still be a lot of good players here," McKay said.

* SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE: Many of the area's top prep athletes signed collegiate letters of intent on Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA's signing period for most sports.

Baseball led the way, with Silverado first baseman Jeremy West (Arizona State), Green Valley outfielder Dave Krynzel (Louisiana State), Las Vegas pitcher Anthony Pluta (Long Beach State), Silverado catcher Tommy Rojas (Pepperdine) and Silverado brothers Joe and James Wickman (UNLV) all making their selections official.

Several prominent female athletes also made their choices on Wednesday, including Green Valley distance runner Abby Miller (UC-Irvine), Bishop Gorman point guard Tiffney Touton (UTEP) and Green Valley golfers Mary Fernandez (Tulane) and Emily De'Ath (Washington State).

* STRIKE A POSE: Miller, who captured her fourth consecutive state cross country title last Saturday, has been selected one of 12 national finalists for the prestigious Wendy's High School Heisman Award.

Miller also ranks first in her class with a 4.7 weighted grade-point average and serves as the sports editor for her high school newspaper and the secretary for the senior class. On Dec. 11, she will be flown to New York, where one boy and one girl will be selected from the final group of 12.

Green Valley High also produced Nevada's last Heisman finalist, 1997 graduate Katie Barto, another successful cross country runner at the Henderson school.

* POLL WATCHING: Las Vegas High became the state's first team to enter the USA Today West Regional rankings this week. The Wildcats (11-0) made their season debut at No. 10 in the West.

Also, Bishop Gorman's unbeaten boys soccer team received votes in USA Today's national rankings but finished just outside the Top 25 rankings.

* UP NORTH: In Friday's Northern Zone football championship, Elko (10-1) will travel to McQueen (10-1), with not only the north's state representative but also the date and time of the 4A state title game hanging in the balance.

Should McQueen win, the Lancers would host the state championship in Reno next Friday at 7 p.m. Should Elko come out on top, the Indians would host the event next Saturday at 1 p.m.

In either event, Las Vegas' representative will fly to Reno on Thursday and, most likely, return home on Sunday. If the game is played in Elko, the southern champs will bus from Reno to Elko on Saturday.

* ON THE AIR: KSHP AM-1400 will broadcast Friday's Southern Zone football championship between Las Vegas High and Cimarron-Memorial live at 7 p.m.

Cox Cable Channel 48 will air last week's Western at Cimarron-Memorial semifinal contest tonight at 7:30.