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MLK weekend features games at Warren Fitzgerald and Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills
Warren – One of the top midseason boys basketball tournaments will again be held at Warren Fitzgerald on Saturday.
The fifth annual Horatio Williams Martin Luther King Classic, in celebration of the MLK holiday weekend, features seven games beginning at noon and ending with the marquee matchup, Detroit Renaissance against Saginaw Arthur Hill, at approximately 9 p.m. (complete schedule is listed below).
Tickets are $10 and are good for all of the games.
All seven games feature a team from the Detroit Public School League against a team from the suburbs or from a league outside of the Metro Detroit area.
“We want to showcase the talent in Detroit,” Williams said. “Kids are looking for the opportunity to be showcased. Many of these (Detroit) kids don’t have a lot of opportunities to play teams outside of Detroit. That’s my goal. To have kids play against different teams.”
Williams and his (Horatio Williams) Foundation aren’t looking for make a buck on this event. Fitzgerald receives a fair price for the use of its gymnasium and also nets the profit from concessions. The foundation pays for the competing teams, the officials and the people who work the event.
“If we don’t do it someone else will hold (a similar event) and try to make money,” Williams said. “All of the teams love it. That’s why we had to add a seventh game.”
The event attracts a number of college coaches. Williams said he expects David Greer, the head coach at Wayne State, to be in attendance as well as representatives from Detroit, Michigan, Michigan State and Oakland, among others.
In the spirit of the MLK celebration Williams said the event helps to promote “camaraderie” among the suburban and city schools.
Another event will be held on the state’s west side. The Floyd Mayweather Classic, also on Saturday, will be held at Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills.
Tickets for this event is also just $10 and the feature game is defending Class A champion Muskegon against the 2013 Class A champion Romulus.
Here is the complete schedule for the games in Grand Rapids. Detroit Allen vs. Toledo Rogers, noon; Lansing Sexton vs. Benton Harbor, 1:45; Westland Glenn vs. Kalamazoo Central, 3:30; Muskegon vs. Romulus, 5:15; Lansing Everett at Ottawa Hills, 7.
Here is the schedule for the Williams Classic. Detroit Osborn vs. Marysville, noon; Detroit Cass Tech vs. Ann Arbor Huron, 1:30; Detroit East English Village Prep vs. River Rouge, 3; Detroit Communication & Media Arts vs. Warren De La Salle, 4:30; Detroit Pershing vs. Clarkston, 6; Detroit Henry Ford vs. Flint Beecher, 7:30; Arthur Hill vs. Renaissance, 9.
