MAYB tournament brings 1,000 youth to Marion years ago
More than 100 teams and 1,000 ninth and 10th grade boys converged on Marion this past weekend to play in the National Invitational Summer Kickoff Classic 2004 Mid-America Youth Basketball tournament.
"This has a tremendous impact on Marion's economy," said Tod Gordon, Marion-Florence USD 408 athletic director. The tournaments were played in Marion High School and Marion Elementary School gymnasiums.
Teams from Wyoming, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas, Virginia Missouri, Louisiana, Indiana, Minnesota, and Kansas participated in the three-day tournament.
The games began in Marion at noon Friday and concluded by Sunday afternoon.
The tournament originated in 1993 in Newton by Greg Raleigh. There were 68 teams in eight gyms. Since that time, it has evolved to 800 teams from 20 states playing in 93 gyms in the area.
In Marion, area teams that competed were from Hillsboro, Peabody, Cottonwood Falls, and Strong City.
No Marion boys competed.
