Luther Invitational celebrates legacy and tradition

Luther Invitational tips off with 8 men’s and 8 women’s teams from Western Canada, while honouring the 2006 champions. Damian Smith reports.

With basketball legends painted across the front entrance at Luther College High School, it was fitting that the focus this weekend turned to history.

As the 72nd Luther Invitational Tournament (LIT) tipped off Thursday, the next generation of athletes took the floor — while the past took centre stage.

In her first year as principal, Nora Marpel said the tournament’s pull hasn’t changed over the decades.

“It’s the energy, it’s the kids, it’s the players, and it’s the sportsmanship,” Marpel said. “It starts with the pep rally, carries through the first game and goes right to the final.”

What has also remained constant is how the tournament is run, by students. With 547 students enrolled at Luther, committees handling everything from media and photography to concessions and decorations ensure the long-standing event runs smoothly.

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For many students, LIT is more than a tournament, it’s tradition.

“In our end-of-year surveys, when students are asked their favourite event, it’s LIT every single year,” said Ruby Halbgewachs, a guard on the women’s team and a member of the media committee. “It’s easily the most exciting thing we do.”

The invitational continues to draw teams from Regina, Saskatoon, Alberta and Manitoba, maintaining both its competitive edge and reputation.

“I think we do a really good job of keeping the caliber high, but also honoring our teams no matter where they are skill-wise,” said women’s point guard Annabel Bast.

This year’s tournament also doubles as a reunion.

Luther honoured its 2006 men’s team, which captured the LIT title 20 years ago — a championship that still resonates with those who lived it.

“The details fade, but the feeling doesn’t,” said former shooting guard Drew Hunter. “I remember hitting a big corner three, but the moment I’ll never forget is walking off the court as time hit zero and the entire gym flooded onto the floor.”

Hunter said returning to the school brought back an overwhelming rush of memories.

“It was the most amazing atmosphere I’ve ever been part of,” he said. “I don’t come back often, but when I did, [all the memories] came back.”

Former centre Marc van Burck remembers both the victory and the small moments that led there.

“I had a lot of ‘and-one’ plays,” he said. “That was my game — living under the basket.”

For van Burck, the tournament helped open doors beyond high school. Nearly seven feet tall, he went on to play NCAA Division I basketball, spending time with the Colorado Buffaloes before finishing at Cornell.

“LIT helped me tremendously,” he said. “Luther drilled into us that education and basketball both mattered. That carried me to an Ivy League school. This tournament was a milestone in my life.”

Two decades later, basketball still connects the 2006 team. Hunter continues to play, including alongside a former teammate.

“High-level sport builds discipline,” he said. “That stays with you. Basketball is still a way to stay connected.”

The 16-team tournament featuring eight men’s and eight women’s teams — wraps up Saturday, with the men’s championship game scheduled for 8 p.m.