Major AAU Tourney, college scouts come to town for weekend

While many people will be taking a break from work over the Memorial Day weekend, some of the top basketball stars in the country will be playing in the third annual Memorial Day Classic tournament. The games for the MDC will take place at three locations during the weekend: the Bloomington SportsPlex, Assembly Hall and Bloomington High School South.\nThe tournament, which is sponsored by Nike, will have many of the top teams in the country competing in three different age groups. The groups are divided into 17-and-under, 16-and-under and 15-and-under. The tournament will have a combined 80 teams, with 32 teams in the 17-and-under division and 24 teams in the 16- and 15-and-under divisions. \n"The MDC will have many of the top Nike traveling teams in the country playing here over the weekend," said Criss Beyers, director and organizer of the MDC. "The MDC will have 20 to 25 of the top 100 high school players in the country."\nThe Bloomington Visitors and Convention Bureau plays a big part in keeping the tournament in Bloomington, as well as promoting it. The BVCB aids the MDC by providing events for players and coaches during the weekend and also helps to find sponsors for the tournament. Along with bringing in some of the top high school players in the country, the MDC draws many visitors to Bloomington. Early attendance estimates stand at around 1,000 spectators.\n"There are around 1,800 total athletes, families and friends that come into Bloomington for the tournament," Valerie Pena, executive director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Around $780,000 worth of new money is put into the Bloomington economy because of the tournament."\nEven though the MDC has been around for only three years, the tournament has been kind to the IU men's basketball team. The tournament has featured former player Jared Jeffries and two current Hoosier sophomores, Bracey Wright and Sean Kline.\nFor many teams and players, the advantage of playing in a tournament like the MDC is not only to get better as a player, but also to get noticed in hopes of landing a college scholarship. For the players, there is the added plus of getting the opportunity to play in Assembly Hall. Like many teams that participate in the tournament this year, it won't be the first for the Indiana Red, a 17-and-under team that participates in close to 50 to 60 games a summer.\n"The kids look forward to playing in Assembly Hall," Mark Adams, head coach of the 17-and-under Indiana Red Team. "It means a lot to play at IU, because many of the players are fans, but it also gives them a chance to play in front of family and friends."\nThe MDC will get underway Saturday at 8 a.m. at all three locations and will conclude with the 17-and-under final Monday at noon.