Annual basketball tournament has become tradition

Posted Nov 18, 2009 by Nick Williams

Updated Nov 18, 2009 at 11:30 AM

Six years ago, former high school basketball coach Jan Bennett acted on a suggestion from a former Tampa Tribune reporter to start his own tournament between teams coached by his former players. Now in its six-year, the Jan Bennett Pre-season Hoop It Up tournament has become a tradition for many high school programs in the Bay Area and in the last five years, has donated $5,840.00 to the Tampa Bay Basketball Coaches Association and the Doug Walker Scholarship Fund.

“It gets me in the gym for two days,” said Bennett, who is 20th all-time in Florida basketball with 576 career wins. “I just hope it helps a bunch of young people.”

Bennett coached at the high school and collegiate level for more than three decades, with stints at Tampa Bay Tech (1974-76), Brandon (1976-81), Robinson (1986-94), Fort Meade (1997-98), Seminole Presbyterian (1998-2000), University of South Florida (2001-2003) and Tampa Prep (2005).   

Bennett said all of the gate receipts from the tournament go towards the TBBCA, which help pay for its annual banquet, awards and scholarships. He said without the help of the West Coast Officials Association, which pay for the officials during the two-day tournament, Valrico State Bank, The Brew Crew and former Plant High basketball coach Richard Dyer, the tournament wouldn’t be possible. 

This year’s tournament will be played Thursday and Friday at Seffner Christian Academy. Teams expected to participate are Seffner Christian, Tampa Bay Tech (head coach Adrian Johnson played under Bennett), Newsome, Armwood, Durant and Bloomingdale.  This is the fourth year the tournament has been played at Seffner Christian. The first two tournaments were played at Cambridge Christian in Tampa.  Tickets are $5.

The schedule is as follows:

Thursday: Tampa Bay Tech vs. Newsome, 5 p.m.; Bloomingdale vs. Armwood, 6:30 p.m.; Durant vs. Seffner Christian, 8 p.m.

Friday: Bloomingdale vs. Tampa Bay Tech, 5 p.m.; Newsome vs. Durant, 6:30 p.m.; Armwood vs. Seffner Christian, 8 p.m.