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While an assistant coach at Thibodaux High School, Derek Szush said he sat and watched as the school raised money for athletics with successful alumni softball and golf tournaments.
Now the head boys’ basketball coach at Terrebonne, the coach decided to add his own flare to the fundraising efforts.
The Tigers coach announced that Terrebonne will host an alumni basketball tournament at the school’s gym from June 8-10.
Open to all schools in the Tri-parish area, Szush said interest in the event has been “very good so far,” and he expects the inaugural tournament to be a weekend of fun for all.
“There’s just been a ton of interest from all kinds of teams from all over,” Szush said. “We’re really pleased with how things have gone so far. It’s good to see this many people who are so anxious to come out and play.”
The Terrebonne tournament is an alumni event, but it is structured slightly different than most of the area’s alumni softball events.
Szush said that graduates of a given high school will be able to pair with any other graduates of the same high school, regardless of age.
For example, a Terrebonne High School Class of 2001 member can play on a team with a group of players within the Class of 2005 or really, any other graduating class.
“The ages or graduating year don’t matter,” Szush said. “The only regulations for a team are that everyone on the team was a graduate of the same high school.”
Likewise, Szush emphasizes that the event is not open to just Terrebonne, but any local high school can compete.
The coach said he has heard from Terrebonne, South Lafourche, Vandebilt, Ellender and Thibodaux, among others.
He added that there are no zoning boundaries for entry.
“If there’s a team from Patterson or Morgan City, or really wherever, they are welcome to come down and play,” Szush said. “We would have maybe regulated it a little bit different if all of the schools had their own specific basketball tournaments. But because a lot of these guys don’t have anywhere else to play, we didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. We want anyone to come and compete.”
Compete is a key word in Szush’s statement – a lot of old rivalries will be renewed during this weekend of basketball.
The Terrebonne coach said he’s heard whispers that Thibodaux’s 2005 state runner-up team will reunite for the weekend.
Hungry to knock them off their perch will be state semifinalist teams from E.D. White and Ellender, who are also organizing a weekend reunion.
Having old faces reuniting in the gym for the first time in years – that’s the part of the event Szush enjoys just as much as the fund raising.
“All of these guys coming back in here are all about the same age,” Szush said. “They all want to get back into the gym and prove themselves. They all want to show that they can still play and compete. All of those guys still have an ax to grind with one another, so it’ll be awesome to see everyone back in the gym again like the old days.”
The structure of the tournament was initially going to be an eight-team event with bracket play.
But because the event has generated so much interest, Szush said he has altered the format and it will now be a double elimination field.
“Everyone is guaranteed to play two games,” Szush said.
The cost to enter a team is $125 per team.
Those wanting to guarantee their spot in the field can give a $50 deposit.
The last day to register is June 6.
The coach said the tournament’s bracket will be drawn the Thursday before the event.
For Tri-parish basketball fans looking to enjoy some hoops action, concessions will be served throughout the weekend and admission is only $2 per day.
A slam dunk contest and 3-point contest will also be held on Saturday night.
“This is going to be fun to watch for any basketball fan,” Szush said. “We really are expecting this to be a good weekend for everyone who loves our sport within our 60-mile radius of schools.”
All of the tournament fees, door admission and concessions will also benefit Terrebonne basketball for the future – an added plus for the coach and community.
“Oh yeah,” Szush said with a laugh. “This is going to be a big help. It really will be something that will help us a lot.”
To register for the event, those interested should call Szush at 985-859-4438.
Jackie Blanchard (left) glides through the air for a layup during a men’s league game last year.
