To some the WOBM Christmas Classic is just another one of those sporting events that appears during a crowded holiday calendar. Sure it’s been around for a while (26 years), has a lot of basketball teams (32) and is played in a large venue (The Ritacco Center in Toms River). However if you ask some of the participants they might tell you the highlight is the “Tip Off” Brunch which took place yesterday at the Quality Inn of Toms River. Some 268 people, most of them hungry teen-agers consumed plates of eggs, potatoes, French toast, bacon and enough sausage links to form a line between the Ritacco Center and back. Okay that’s a bad joke, one of several I told during the event which officially begins our annual basketball tournament. Actually we really got underway on Sunday night when the 32 coaches gathered at Klee’s Bar & Grill in Seaside Heights for dinner and the task of seeding the teams which determine the pairings. They left without knowing the results which I announced during Monday’s breakfast.
For now the headlines go to a little of the old and a little of the new. Defending champion Rumson-Fair Haven, winners of 5 of the last 8 WOBM titles, are the top seed in the Girls Division and many expect they will battle #2 Southern in the final for the second straight year. The Bulldogs begin their bid for the title against Lacey Sunday at 6:45pm in the Poland Spring Arena which is just a half-hour after Southern tips-off with Monsignor Donovan across the hall in the North Gym. Wall & Point Boro round out the top four seeds in the field of 16.
On the boys side its newcomer Monroe who grabs the top spot and will meet another first-year entry Barnegat on Saturday at 6:45pm in the final game of the opening day. St. Rose is the #2 seed and will face rebuilding Toms River North on Saturday night while Manchester and Toms River East fill out the top four spots. Defending champion Point Boro plays Lacey at 1pm Saturday in the first of the 52 games over 7 days that will be played before a champion is crowned on December 30th. The complete schedule and brackets are available at shoresportsnetwork.com.
Walt Peto, who retired recently from the Toms River Regional Schools, received the “Jim Ruhnke Award” during the breakfast for his contributions to the tournament. Peto has been involved as a coach, Athletic Director, parent and now tournament staff. Assistant Superintendent Michael Citta welcomed the players and coaches to the event, which moved to the Ritacco Center from Ocean County College in 2003.
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