36th Annual Pizza Hut Invitational
Presented by NewBridge Bank
Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center; December 26-28, 2011
Tournament Facts
? Traditional Dates: After multiple years of alternate dates due to a tournament
day falling on Sunday, the 36th annual Pizza Hut Invitational presented by NewBridge
Bank returns to its traditional dates this year. The tournament will begin on
Monday, Dec. 26 and end on Wednesday, Dec. 28.
? More than $1.1 Million Contributed to the Schools: Many things make the Pizza
Hut Invitational presented by NewBridge Bank an exceptional high school basketball
tournament, but what makes the Pizza Hut Invitational unique is that tournament
proceeds are donated to charity and the participating schools. Last year, the eight
participating schools each received more than $10,500 meaning the tournament donated
approximately $86,000 to the schools. In the last 12 years, the Greensboro Sports
Council has now donated more than $1.1 Million to the schools that participated in
the tournament.
? Sponsorship: Pizza Hut Invitational revenue comes from ticket sales and
sponsorships; sales success contributes directly to how much money is donated back
to the schools each year. The Greensboro Sports Council is very active in raising
funds for the tournament, but for the eighth consecutive year, participating schools
are sharing in the sponsorship sales efforts. Each school is soliciting a minimum
of $1,500 in sponsorship. Pizza Hut Invitational sponsorship is among the most
economical sports marketing opportunities available to local companies.
? Sponsors Help with Advertising: Several Pizza Hut Invitational sponsors are
helping advertise the tournament through their in-kind sponsorships. Matthews
Mobile Media and the Greensboro Transit Authority are new to the tournament this
year, and they have combined to present PHI advertising on multiple GTA buses.
Fairway Outdoor Advertising is once again providing static and digital billboards
while the Greensboro News & Record, Rock 92, 107.5 WKZL are also advertising the
tournament as in-kind sponsors.
? Charity: In addition to making its donations to the participating schools, the
Pizza Hut Invitational makes charitable contributions. This year, the tournament
will make a donation to Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test® before
distributing the remaining dollars to the participating schools. Since its founding
in 1995, Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test® has worked and focused solely on
earlier detection of breast cancer as opposed to focusing on a cure for the disease.
Earlier detection may prevent invasive surgery, minimize treatment and dramatically
increase survival chances. For additional information, please visit
www.earlier.org. Past tournament proceeds have been contributed to Greensboro Urban
Ministries, the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer, Children’s Home
Society, the Eastern Guilford High School Fund, the Joey Cheek Fund, North Carolina
State Games and the Girls and Boys Club.
? Steak ‘N Shake Shooters Shootout: The traditional Pizza Hut Invitational
halftime shootout returns this year with a new name and a new format. The Steak ‘N
Shake Shooters Shootout is a halftime basketball shooting contest to be conducted
during each of the 24 games comprising the 36th annual Pizza Hut Invitational.
During halftime of each tournament game, a maximum of 50 people may purchase a Steak
‘N Shake Shooters Shootout ticket for $1 for one chance to shoot a free throw. Half
of the participants will shoot at each goal of the game court. If a participant
makes the free throw, he or she advances to the next round. If a participant misses
his or her free throw, he or she is eliminated from the competition, but that person
may purchase another ticket to shoot at halftime of another game. Or, if all of the
tickets for that game have not been sold, the eliminated person may purchase another
ticket for the same game. All of the people who make a free throw will advance to
the next round until one person wins at each basket. The two winners will then
shoot again, using the same process, to determine a winner for that game who earns a
Steak ‘N Shake gift certificate for an order of Shooters (mini cheeseburgers) and a
Pizza Hut Invitational T-Shirt. Winners from individual games will no longer
advance to a winner’s competition on championship night as each halftime features
its own competition.
? Bill Lee Scholarship: Last year, the Greensboro Sports Council doubled the
Bill Lee Scholarship to $2,000 per award. Since its inception, 36 students have been
awarded this scholarship which was established in 2001 in memory of Bill Lee, a
Greensboro native and resident who was a major supporter of local sports. He was
deeply involved with Greensboro’s minor league baseball efforts, basketball and
golf. The Greensboro Sports Council established the scholarship following Lee’s
death in 2001. Recipients are nominated by their schools, and the Greensboro Sports
Council awards the scholarships. Each nomination is considered with the following
criteria: 40% academic, 40% athletic and 20% civic. Four student-athletes receive
a scholarship each year.
? Honorary Chairman: Longtime Greensboro Sports Council member Richard Beard has
been selected as this year’s honorary chairman. Beard has chaired the Pizza Hut
Invitational, served as president of the Greensboro Sports Council, Chairman of the
Tournament Host Committee of Greensboro, a member of the War Memorial Coliseum
Commission, Chairman of the Sports Council, he is on the Sports Council board of
directors, he’s the founder and chairman of the Fred Barakat Sports Dinner and he
serves on the Greensboro Sports Fund board of directors.
? The Tournament: The Pizza Hut Invitational was founded in 1976. At that time,
the Big Four Atlantic Coast Conference schools, Duke, N.C. State, UNC-Chapel Hill
and Wake Forest, competed in the Big Four Tournament in the Greensboro Coliseum.
The Pizza Hut Invitational was created to mirror the tournament that showcased North
Carolina’s ACC teams and raise funds for the participating high schools’ athletic
programs. In 1978, the tournament expanded to eight teams with Ragsdale, High Point
Andrews, High Point Central and Thomasville High School joining the original four.
The next two years, in 1979 and ’80, the tournament returned to its original four
schools before expanding to eight teams permanently in 1981. The women’s side of
the tournament began in 1980. The Pizza Hut Invitational is now widely considered
the most successful holiday basketball tournament in North Carolina.
? 2010 Tournament Recap: In last year’s Pizza Hut Invitational, Page High School
won the men’s tournament with a 76-54 win over Northern Guilford High School. It
was the Pirates’ eighth championship in 11 final-game appearances. However, it was
also their first title since 1989 and their first championship game appearance since
1990. In the women’s tournament, Northwest Guilford defeated Smith High School
52-44. It was the Vikings’ third championship in six final-game appearances.
? Amazing Runs:
? Before losing in the 2009 men’s semifinals, Greensboro Day School won 17
consecutive Pizza Hut Invitational games including four consecutive championships in
2005 – ’08. Greensboro Day is the only men’s team to win four consecutive titles.
? The Page High School women won four straight in 1988 – ‘92 and the
Western Guilford High School women did it 1992-‘94.
? After joining the tournament in 2000, the Northwest Guilford the lady
Vikings have played in the championship game in six of the last eight years winning
three times. Coach Darlene Joyner joined the Vikings in 2002, and all of their
championship game appearances have come under Coach Joyner meaning she has made six
appearances in the championship game in her nine seasons as the Vikings’ coach.
? Women’s Stats: The Page Pirates have won more women’s tournaments than any other
school with 10 titles. The Lady Pirates have played for the championship 15 times,
also more than any other team.
? Championships ? Title Game Appearances
? Page High School - 10 ? Page High School
- 15
? Grimsley High School - 5 ? Dudley High School
- 9
? Western Guilford - 4 ? Smith High School
- 9
? Northeast Guilford - 3 ? Grimsley High School
- 7
? Smith High School - 3 ? Western Guilford
- 6
? Northwest Guilford - 3 ? Northwest Guilford
- 6
? Dudley High School - 1 ? NortheastGuilford
- 5
? Ragsdale High School- 1 ? Eastern Guilford
- 2
? Ragsdale High School - 1
? Men’s Stats: Dudley High School has won more men’s championships than any other
school
taking top honors 10 times in 19 title game appearances. With their top seed this
year, Greensboro Day will attempt to tie Dudley’s mark for most men’s championships.
? Men’s Stats (continued):
? Championships ? Title Game Appearances
? Dudley High School - 10 ? Dudley High School
- 19
? Greensboro Day - 9 ? Greensboro Day School
- 13
? Page High School - 8 ? Grimsley High School
- 13
? Grimsley High School - 6 ? Page High School
- 11
? Smith High School - 2 ? Smith High School
- 7
?
Northern Guilford
-
2
? Eastern Guilford - 1
? Southeast Guilford - 1
? Southwest Guilford - 1
? Northeast Guilford - 1
?
Ragsdale
High
School
-
1
? Northern Guilford - 1? Overtime Championships: The Pizza Hut Invitational championship game has gone to
overtime twice, and both times, it was a Dudley – Greensboro Day title tilt. In
1987, Greensboro Day beat Dudley 57-55 in Greensboro Day’s first Pizza Hut
Invitational appearance. In 1992, the tables were turned as the Panthers beat the
Bengals 66-63.
? 2011 Participating Schools: Greensboro Day School, Grimsley High School,
Northeast Guilford, Northern Guilford, Northwest Guilford, Page High School, Smith
High School and Ragsdale High School.
? Tickets: Pizza Hut Invitational tickets are available through the participating
schools or at the Greensboro Coliseum Box Office. Tournament books containing
tickets for all games are $15. Single-session tickets are $7 for the opening and
semi-final rounds and $10 for championship day. Single session tickets are only
available at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center box office.
? 2011 Women’s Seeds:
1. Page High School
2. Northwest Guilford High School
3. Smith High School
4. Northern Guilford High School
5. Greensboro Day School
6. Ragsdale High School
7. Grimsley High School
8. Northeast Guilford High School
? 2011 Men’s Seeds:
1. Greensboro Day School
2. Northeast Guilford High School
3. Smith High School
4. Page High School
5. Northern Guilford High School
6. Northwest Guilford High School
7. Grimsley High School
8. Ragsdale High School