The top-ranked Columbus North girls basketball team will host seven visiting teams in the first Subway/Columbus North Invitational next month.
The Bull Dogs, ranked first in the current IBCA top 20 all-class poll as well as second in the ICGSA Class 4A ratings, will host visitors from Avon, Fort Wayne Canterbury, Fort Wayne South, Mishawaka, Norwell, Notre Dame Academy (of Park Hills, Ky.) and Roncalli on Dec. 21-22 in the Bill Stearman Athletic Complex.
Five of the seven visitors currently are ranked in the Indiana polls — Fort Wayne Canterbury is first in Class A by the ICGSA; Fort Wayne South is fourth in 4A by the ICGSA; Norwell is seventh in 3A by the ICGSA; and Mishawaka and Roncalli are tied for 24th in 4A by the ICGSA.
Action in the two-day, three-session event begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21 when Columbus North faces Avon in Gym 1 and Roncalli meets Fort Wayne Canterbury in Gym 2. At 8:15 p.m., Norwell squares off against Notre Dame Academy in Gym 1 and Fort Wayne South will play Mishawaka in Gym 2.
The second session begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 with consolation semifinals in both gyms; championship semifinals follow at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 in both gyms.
The placement round starts at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 with seventh-place and fifth-place games in both gyms. The third place game is at 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 in Gym 1. The championship game is at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 in Gym 1.
Gym 1, also known as Memorial Gym, is one of the 15 largest high school gymnasiums in Indiana and seats about 7,000 fans when at capacity. Gym 2 is in the same building and seats about 1,000 fans.
Tickets for the Subway/Columbus North Invitational will be available at the door on game days. Prices are $12 for a three-session pass, available on Friday, Dec. 21; $8 for a two-session pass, available Saturday morning, Dec. 22; or $5 for single-session admission, available for each session.
Most all the teams enter this season coming off strong efforts in 2011-12. Here is how each team finished last season:
- Avon (6-15)
- Columbus North (23-4)
- Fort Wayne Canterbury (25-2)
- Fort Wayne South (22-2)
- Mishawaka (17-6)
- Norwell (21-4)
- Notre Dame Academy (Ky.) (25-6)
- Indianapolis Roncalli (17-7)
