The "TOURNEY" Returns!!!!

It's mid-January prep basketball fans, and in these here parts, that means just one thing and one thing only.....it's McLean County Tournament time!!!! Yes indeed, one of the longest running high school basketball tourney's in the state, and you gotta think the country, is back and ready for another fun run of hoops action beginning Saturday the 17th. There's some controversy as to whether or not the tourney has been re-named as the "Heart of Illinois Conference/McLean County Tournament," or if it's still just the "McLean County Tournament." Ask any old-timer or WGCY announcer from the rural Colfax area, and you'll get a resounding answer in quick fashion.
In case you didn't know, this is the 99th edition of the tournament in one shape or another. Yes, it seems as if Dr. Naismith himself could have attended the inaugural event, it's been around that long. There's been a great number of different schools, under one name or another, through the years that have taken part in the hoops extravaganza. In this year's edition, there are a total of 26 teams taking to the hard court. All 13 schools from the Heart of Illinois Conference will send both their boy's and girl's teams. To some of the tourney traditionalists, I'm sure it's a little disheartening to see it become, in effect, the H.O.I.C. Tournament. Only Ridgeview, LeRoy, Tri-Valley, Heyworth, and Blue Ridge high schools are located in McLean Co.
Representatives from Champaign, Ford, Woodford, and Livingston counties all will take part this season.
My question to you, the basketball junky is this, "What great memories of the McLean County Tournament do you possess?" Or, "What does this McLean County Tournament mean to you?" Leave your thoughts in the comment section provided below. We'll read them this Saturday or next Saturday, the 24th on our "Speaking of Sports" program at 9:06.