Wahoo Neumann Holiday Tournament
Holiday tournaments can often be a challenge, even if the opponents aren’t top quality teams. With time off from school and time off for the family celebrations, it’s tough for teams to practice. In 1988, teams had no restrictions from the state (the NSAA would eventually issue rules requiring a “dead period” in which teams are not allowed to practice), but local schools and the coaches themselves required players have some “time off.” The result in holiday tournaments is that often the play is more inconsistent or what some would call “ragged.” Of course, it’s a “level playing field” -- all teams face the same conditions. For Wahoo, during the 1970’s the team was often held out of holiday tournaments. But as it became apparent that the long layoff sometimes put the team at a disadvantage, they resumed entering tournaments at the decade’s end. In the early 1980’s, the school got together with cross-town rival, Wahoo Neumann and established the Wahoo Holiday Tournament that would alternate between the two schools in the latter days of December. The plan worked well for both schools as neither had to actually work at hosting the tournament every year, yet, every year the teams at least got to stay in town for the two day contest. The tournament is still operating today (2008).
In 1988, Raymond Central and Schuyler were the invited teams and the tournament was played at Wahoo Neumann. Raymond Central faced Neumann in the first round, while Wahoo faced the Warriors from Schuyler. All four teams boasted winning records, Schuyler and Wahoo both being undefeated. Behind the outside scoring of Troy Glock (22 points with 3 threes) and the inside power of Randy Hoffman (22 points), Wahoo established a 12 point half time lead and maintained that lead to the end of the third quarter. Then Schuyler mounted their challenge, eventually closing to within two points. With Wahoo holding the ball, Troy Glock was fouled with 10 seconds remaining. Glock calmly sank the two freethrows and Schuyler was unable to score with their final possession as Wahoo prevailed 64 - 60. Coach Anderson felt the close game was good for his team: “... this game didn’t hurt us. We found out about our kids. That’s hard to do when you’re winning by 30 or 40 points.”
Wahoo Neumann won their first round game over Raymond Central, 50 - 42 to set up a rare contest between the two Wahoo teams. The schools avoided scheduling each other in the regular season and in 1988 they were in different classes (Neumann, C1 and Wahoo B). Their only previous meetings had come in holiday tournaments where Neumann had prevailed both times and in the subdistrict tournament (Class C1) in 1987 when Wahoo won. Neumann’s victory over Raymond Central had been somewhat of an upset -- on paper, the young Neumann team was probably the weakest entry in the tournament. Neumann Coach, Paul Johnson claimed there was “lopsided talent” and point out that “Mick Anderson really has Wahoo playing well right now.” Under normal circumstances the game might not have presented much of a challenge to the Warriors, but there were different factors in play here. For one, the Neumann players and coaches were quite familiar with Wahoo -- there would be no surprises. Secondly, Neumann was a solid program that was beginning to benefit from the same “Wahoops” program that was forming a basis for some of the public school’s success. And thirdly, and perhaps most important, this was a battle for local bragging rights. That could serve to motivate the Wahoo squad, or to pressure them into erratic play.
Knowing what he did about the Warriors, Coach Johnson brought an effective strategy to the Championship game of the Wahoo Neumann Holiday Tournament. He had observed the Wahoo “slime” defenses and he decided to turn the tables on the Warriors: a triangle-and-two, guarding the Glock brothers man-to-man. The Cavaliers also employed a very deliberate offense to slow the game down and keep Wahoo’s high powered offensive weapons on the defensive end of the court. Early on, the strategy worked as the Warriors only led by two with less than three minutes to go in the first half. But then Wahoo went on a run. Starters, Cliff Kreizel and Rob Brigham had been unable to connect on the open perimeter shots being given up by the Neumann defense so Coach Anderson went to his bench -- the first time in the season when the game was still in contention. Bernie Inbody and Ryan Eddie each scored on mid-range jumpers, then Eddie got a steal and lay-up. The run was capped by a basket at the buzzer by Troy Glock and the Warriors took a 25 - 17 lead into half time. After intermission, Jason Glock got going, scoring four fieldgoals in the third quarter, going 7 out of 8 for the game and claiming scoring honors with 17 points. Even as they fell behind, Neumann maintained its deliberate style. Finally, towards the end of the contest, Wahoo returned the favor, holding the ball for two minutes themselves. The final result was a low scoring 50 - 41 win for the Warriors. Wahoo had shown that they were up to the challenge of playing in an emotionally charged game.
A New Season, Pt. 4: Challenges -- Yutan |
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| The Warriors survived many of the challenges of the 1989 season due to clutch play down the stretch by point guard, Troy Glock. In the opening round of the Neumann Holiday Tournament, Troy sank the freethrows at the end of the game to secure the win. |
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| "As much as he's (Troy Glock) been around, he's the right guy to have on the line." -- Coach Anderson |
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| “I think the only difference was their state tourney experience. . . you just can’t buy that. That’s what makes great teams.” -- Steve Peterson, Schuyler Head Coach |
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| Wahoo Neumann Head Coach, Paul Johnson, would claim a state title for the Caveliers in 1991. His 1989 team gave Wahoo one of its closer games. |
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| "I owed Mick that triangle-and-two." -- Paul Johnson, Wahoo Neumann Head Coach |
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| Having played mostly during "mop up" time, Bernie Inbody, Steve Volin, and Ryan Eddie made their first contributions in a contested game in the Holiday Tournament finals. |
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| "Our sophomores came through for us before the half. They really gave us a lift." -- Coach Anderson |
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