WASHINGTON, D.C.- Once again we wrap up the holiday season with that very special gift that just keeps on giving even after four decades on the books. The Title IX Classic represents much, much more than just another basketball event. In its 10th year, the tournament hosts a banquet and multiple workshops in addition to three days of top flight basketball. The educational aspect of the tournament helps create and maintain awareness among young women of the profound and lasting impact of that historical legislation enacted in 1972.
While the Republicans and Democrats may have shut down the federal government, the action in the D.C. Armory was up and running this past Thursday through Saturday. Players on the 74 rosters represented 20 different states and two provinces in Canada. While not part of our general coverage, The Title IX also hosted an eight team junior college division won by the defending NJCAA National Campions of Coach Franqua “Q” Bedell and Tallahassee Community College.
If the participating players went home with even an inkling of what Title IX means to them and the sport they play, then they’re all winners. The teams that went home winners on the court are listed below starting with the ultra-competitive Pat Summit and Bob Headen brackets. There was also a showcase bracket honoring Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg that featured nine games but did not lead into a bracket. In that division, St. Johns College (D.C.) with Azzi Fudd, Malu Tshitenge Motumbo and company played a single game Thursday evening holding off a feisty Paint Branch (Md.) squad 72 – 57. Across the course of the three day event 147 college coaches took in the teams and talent that made their way to D.C. for some post Christmas holiday cheer.
Pat Summit Division – Bishop McNamara
Bob Headen Division – West Ridge Academy
Patsy Mink Division – Georgetown Visitation
Bernice Sandler Division – St. Andrews Episcopal
Donnis Thompson Division – St. James School
Edith Green Division – Good Counsel
Maurice Butler Division – Calvert
Allen Chin – JUCO Division – Tallahassee Community College
Today we profile a few of the standouts from the 2018 Title IX Classic. Yes, there were plenty of other outstanding performances and promising players. And no, it’s not physically possible to see them all. Media is not an equal opportunity landscape so please don’t read into who is or is not included. We look forward to seeing as many promising young players as we can at each event but are constrained by time, space and the limited abilities of this writer and photographer as to who we include in our coverage.
Happy New Year and all the best to you and yours in 2019 from all of us at Blue Star Media.
