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GBRC to again play host to regional youth hoops tournament
KBAF Tournament
5th- and 6th-grade players from Great Bend and Larned compete at last year’s Kansas Basketball Academy Foundation regional qualifying tournament at the Panther Activity Center in Great Bend. This will be the sixth year Great Bend has hosted the qualifying tournament. KSHSAA guidelines limiting spectators will be in place for the Feb. 6, 2021, tournament. - photo by Great Bend Tribune file photo

At its monthly meeting Dec. 14, the Great Bend Recreation Commission board approved an agreement to once again host the Kansas Basketball Academy Foundation tournament again on Feb. 6, 2021, at the Panther Activity Center at Great Bend High School.

According to GBRC Assistant Superintendent Chris Umphres, 2021 will be the sixth year the group is holding one of its state qualifying tournaments in Great Bend.

Though the tournament will look a little different than in years past, Umphres said it will draw 27 boys and girls teams from three different divisions - 1st/2nd grade, 3rd/4th grade, 5th/6th grade, to Great Bend. The teams will come from around the area, including Great Bend, Hoisington, Hays, Larned, Hutchinson, Pratt, Mulvane and Dodge City. 

In hosting the tournament, Umphres said the plan is to adhere to Kansas State High School Activities Association guidelines limiting spectators to two per participating family. Though Umphres said the guidelines currently extend only until Jan. 28, GBRC still plans to adhere to these guidelines in the event they are extended.

Umphres said because of the size of the tournament, GBRC facilities alone were not large enough to host it, so they were able to partner with USD 428 to hold the tournament at Great Bend High School’s PAC Center again.

He feels area tournaments like this are opportunities for the whole community to benefit economically. But it takes good partnerships, and he is grateful for partnerships with the city and USD 428 that allow events like this to take place.

“It is a joint effort; we appreciate the school doing it,” he said. “Without a facility like the PAC Center, we couldn’t do (an event like this) at all.”

And with the challenges COVID-19 has presented over the last year, in particular the shutdowns at the end of last winter’s basketball season, he is glad for the opportunity to hold the tournament at all, even though this year’s tournament will look a little different than in past years.

“We’re excited for it,” Umphres said. “I think it’s getting people back to some normalcy. They want to get back into a routine, playing basketball, but safely.”