Coupeville Sports

Scott Stuurmans banks home a bucket during the 2015 Tom Roehl Roundball Classic. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

For the first time in years, there won’t be an alumni basketball tourney in Coupeville.

The Tom Roehl Roundball Classic, which grew from an all-Wolf event to a major hoops showdown pitting local teams against off-Island foes, has been called off a month before tip-off.

The 2018 tourney was originally set for Dec. 22.

Tournament organizer Noah Roehl released a statement Monday afternoon:

We are canceling the 2018 Tom Roehl Hoops tournament.

We may re-visit hosting at a later date in the spring and will re-evaluate for future years.

We are sorry to do this, but feel it’s in the best interest of folks involved in organizing the tournament and time commitments of all of us over the holidays.

The tournament is named in honor of Noah’s father, who was a highly-influential local coach for decades.

Tom Roehl was an assistant football coach for many years on Ron Bagby’s staff at Coupeville High School, while also running a very-successful youth basketball program.

After his death in 2003, the Roehl family launched football and basketball alumni games, which have generated considerable money for scholarships which are presented to local students annually.

While the football game was retired, the basketball tourney grew in popularity, as alumni teams like Red Pride and the Coupeville Cows vied with teams from Oak Harbor, South Whidbey, Seattle and beyond.