Muggsy Bogues throws a basketball party in Indian Trail — and 400 players show up
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Thirty-nine teams. About 400 middle school basketball players. An equal number of spectators and game officials.
Yep, it was Muggsy Bogues time again Saturday.
Bogues, the iconic former Charlotte Hornets player who has become equally celebrated for his work with youth players, invited area teams to the second Muggsy Bogues Middle School Basketball Tournament at Carolina Courts in Indian Trail.
“Look at this,” Bogues said, noting the four games being played simultaneously at the indoor facility. “It’s better than ever.”
Bogues, through his Muggsy Bogues Family Foundation, started the event a year ago because he wanted middle school teams to have their own tournament.
“We don’t have anything like this,” said Ryan Cronin, coach of the Providence Day eighth-grade team. “This gives us a chance to compete for a championship.”
It also brings together teams — public school and private, from Mecklenburg County and elsewhere — that typically don’t get to play each other.
“We had more teams this year than last,” he said. “It seems to be popular. It gives bragging rights to teams, and they get to face off against new teams.”
Boys’ teams were split into four divisions, with two divisions for the girls.
For Rylan Worthan and his South Charlotte Middle teammates, it was a chance to win a championship that evaded the team during the regular season. The Shockers have one remaining regular-season game but will not win their division of south Charlotte middle schools.
“This is our chance to show what we can do,” he said.
His mother, Liane Lutchman, said the Muggsy Bogues event was “sort of like an AAU tournament, but with a school setting.”
“It’s really a nice opportunity for these young people,” she said.
There were other middle school players hoping that Saturday would bring an opportunity to make up for what didn’t happen in the regular season.
Jocelyn Riggsby, Blythe Demetriades and Grayson Dudley are members of the Providence Day Middle eighth-grade team. They lost three times during the season but saw Saturday as a second chance.
“We got smashed when we played here last year,” Dudley said.
“New year, new hope,” Demetriades added.
“We don’t know any of the teams we’re playing, but that’s what makes this fun,” Riggsby said.
Both the South Charlotte boys and the Providence Day girls made the most of their opportunities Saturday.
South Charlotte beat Charlotte Christian and won the Boys’ West championship. Providence Day, which didn’t win a game last year, won three games and captured the Girls’ East title.
“It was really something when we opened the doors and the kids started coming in,” said Shannon Wright, interim director of the Muggsy Bogues Community Foundation. “There was so much excitement!”
Saturday’s tournament is among several major events sponsored by the foundation, which has the goal of bettering life for people in the Charlotte community. There are four big food giveaways each year, along with other programs to help students and their families. Much of it is funded by a Bogues-sponsored annual golf tournament.
“But this tournament is really a big deal for Muggsy,” Wright said. “He loves this sport, and he wants to give middle school kids a chance to end their season with a tournament.”
Bogues noted that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools conducted a postseason playoff last fall for the first time for middle schools.
“If they’re going to do something like that in basketball, we’d be happy to be involved and help,” he said.
In the meantime, middle school players have Muggsy’s party.
“We’re so glad he does something like this,” Cronin said.
Results from Saturday’s event
BOYS’ EAST DIVISION
First round
Alexander Graham 48, Ridge Road 20
Kennedy 46, Cuthbertson 38
Holy Trinity/Grade 8 39, Rea Farms STEM 34
McClintock 44, Southwest 42
Semifinals
Alexander Graham 51, Kennedy 48
Holy Trinity 48, McClintock 27
Consolation
Cuthbertson 49, Ridge Road 39
Rea Farms 42, Southwest 36
Championship
Alexander Graham 56, Holy Trinity 38
BOYS’ NORTH DIVISION
First round
Bailey 39, Community House 28
Sedgefield 51, Providence Day Red 32
Piedmont 45, Charlotte Latin 22
Francis Bradley 41, Mallard Creek STEM 13
Semifinals
Sedgefield 62, Bailey 39
Bradley 46, Piedmont 28
Consolation
Charlotte Latin 41, Mallard Creek STEM 39
Championship
Sedgefield 47, Bradley 33
BOYS’ SOUTH DIVISION
First round
Concord Academy 45, Weddington 42
Carmel 43, Holy Trinity/Grade 7 24
Northpoint Christian 49, Providence Day Blue 17
Crestdale 50, Whitewater 31
Semifinals
Carmel 51, Concord Academy 31
Northpoint Christian 38, Crestdale 35
Consolation
Weddington 56, Holy Trinity 47
Whitewater 40, Providence Day Blue 39
Championship
Carmel 60, Northpoint Christian 41
BOYS’ WEST DIVISION
First round
Charlotte Christian 52, Parkwood 34
Matthews Charter 24, Cochrane 21
Union Academy 39, Cannon School 37
South Charlotte 42, Union Day 18
Semifinals
Charlotte Christian 46, Matthews Charter Academy 38
South Charlotte 45, Union Academy 38
Consolation
Parkwood 39, Cochrane 34
Cannon School 46, Union Day 40
Championship
South Charlotte 53, Charlotte Christian 33
GIRLS’ EAST DIVISION
First round
Holy Trinity/Grade 8 33, Piedmont 20
Kennedy 20, Charlotte Country Day 8
Providence Day/Grade 8 40, Rea Farm STEM 13
Crestdale 41, McClintock 33
Semifinals
Holy Trinity 47, Kennedy 22
Providence Day 23, Crestdale 18
Consolation
Charlotte Country Day 31, Piedmont 26
Championship
Providence Day 34, Holy Trinity 26
GIRLS’ WEST DIVISION
First round
Providence Day/Grade 7 34, Carmel 18
Mallard Creek STEM 44, Sedgefield 20
South Charlotte 28, Charlotte Latin 11
Bailey 32, Holy Trinity/Grade 7 19
Semifinals
Mallard Creek STEM 44, Weddington 30
South Charlotte 28, Bailey 21
Consolation
Sedgefield 27, Carmel 20
Charlotte Latin 31, Holy Trinity 21
Charlotte Latin 29, Providence Day 17
Championship
South Charlotte 32, Mallard Creek STEM 30
