Maui’s The Place To Be For November Sports

EA SPORTS Maui Invitational NCAA Basketball Tournament

Lahaina Civic Center, Maui | November 21-23rd, 2011

While the spotlight for the Maui Invitational NCAA Basketball Tournament will be on Lahaina from November 21st-23rd for the final games of the tournament, the play actually begins on November 11th in Lawrence, Kansas (Townson vs Kansas), Knoxville, Tennessee (UNCG vs Tennessee), and Durham, North Carolina (Belmont vs Duke) in the opening games.  They continue on the 14th in Ann Arbor, Michigan (Towson vs Michigan) and Washington DC (UNCG vs Georgetown).  The first round of games end on the 15th with Middle Tennessee State playing UCLA (in Los Angeles) and Belmont playing Memphis at home in Memphis, Tennessee.

This is a new format being introduced with the expansion of the normal 8-team field to 12-teams, for this 28th Annual Tournament, which is officially known as the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Tournament.  (Say that three times real fast!)   With the addition of these four extra teams, known as the “Mainland Teams”, each of the “Island Teams” hosts a mainland team for a game in this Opening round.

This will be followed by four Regional Games, which will be hosted by four “Island Teams”.  The four “Island Teams” will rotate from year to year since there are actually seven “Island Teams” plus Chaminade, who will not participate in these additional games.  (Did you get all that?)

Regional Games are scheduled for the 19th and 20th at Murfressboro, TN, starting with UNCG vs Middle Tennessee State and Towson vs Belmont on Saturday and finishing up with the losers playing one another and the final game featuring the two winning teams.  You can sort of consider these “warm up games” for the 8 Island Teams, since none of the “Mainland Teams” have the opportunity to advance to the Championship Round, regardless of who wins the games in these first two rounds.

That brings us to the Championship Round, where I will let you view the brackets and figure it all out.  There are four games scheduled for each day of the 3-day tournament.  (Chaminade University of Honolulu, the tournament’s host,  is scheduled to play in Game 3 against UCLA and looking for its first tournament win since 2007.)

To give you some idea of the prestige of the “Island Teams”; since the beginning of this tournament 27 years ago, 89 schools representing 21 conferences and 39 states have competed in the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, with Maui participants having won an astounding 62 of 73 NCAA championships and 58 of 73 national runner-up spots while comprising 239 of 292 Final Four teams.

If for no other reason, NCAA basketball fans in the islands should seize the opportunity to see top level basketball.  Remember, Duke won the national championship in 2010 (after a slow start and not even playing in the tournament final last year) and will likely start the tournament being ranked #1 in the national polls.  And, don’t overlook UCLA, Georgetown, and Kansas who are perennial national contenders, as well.

For those who are looking ahead to 2012, the “Island Team” will be made up of:

• Butler
• Illinois
• Marquette
• Mississippi State
• North Carolina
• Texas
• USC
• Chaminade

The four additional “Mainland Teams” for 2012, have not yet been finalized, as of this time.

Maui Invitational Golf Classic

This fund raising tournament has been re-vitalized for 2011 and being held on November 12-13 at the Old Wailea Blue and the Waiehu golf courses. The proceeds of this tournament will benefit the children and youth of Maui County through the following 501-C-3 Non-Profit Organizations.

1. Ao O Na Loko I’ a O Maui: Revitalization of the Fish Ponds
   Executive Director: Mr. Kimokea Kapahulehua
2. Hui O Wa’a Kaulua: Voyaging Canoe for Island of Maui
   Executive Director: Ms Joylynn Paman
3. Mayor Arakawa Community Kokua Fund
   Executive Director: Mr. Brian Thomas

Under this new venue, entry rates have been lowered to $165 per person.  Includes: Golf/Cart Fees, Kick Off and Awards Luncheon, Prizes and Fabulous Entertainment.

Cut Off:  First 288 applicants

Entry Deadline:  Oct. 25, 2011

Handicap:  September 2011 handicap (card) of each person will be used. Participant must attach copy of September 2011 Ghin handicap card or entry will not be accepted. Participant must use lowest official USGA handicap.  Any player falsifying handicap or club affiliation will be disqualified by the tournament committee. Committee reserves the right to make adjustments on handicaps.

Format:  Individual Gross scores for Championship Flight and Individual Net for “A”, “B” & Women.

Kick Off Party: Maui Tropical Plantation  5:00 pm, Friday

Awards Banquet: Maui Tropical Plantation  1:30 pm Sunday

For more information Call (All numbers are area code 808): Art Rego: 244-5934, Charlie Aruda: 244-5234, Curtis Takaoka: 250-6116,
Mel Pomroy: 870-9485, Jerry Toyama: 870-9274, Karan Schafer: 276-3797, Gerry Rose: 280-1199, Ernie Cayaban: 463-5882, Dorothy Tam Ho: 877-5433