An early season barometer for the nation’s best, the EA Sports Maui Invitational, now in its 28th year, once again lived up to its title as the premiere early season tournament in the country.
The games, which began Nov. 23, ran through Nov. 25. The event attracted hundreds of rapid fans, scouts, some local and most from out of state.
The tournament got its start in 1982, when Chaminade beat a top-ranked Virginia by five points, in what many cite as one of the greatest upsets in college sports history. That victory spawned the Maui Classic.
Chaminade, the small college nestled in Kaimuki that shares facilities with St. Louis High School, hosts the event every year and has managed to pull off a total of seven victories since beating Virginia – no small feat for a Division 2 school with a recruiting budget of less than $5,000.
This year’s lineup was one of the most loaded brackets in recent history, featuring Georgetown, Memphis, Kansas and Duke.
The latter two teams would eventually square off for the tournament crown, in what was arguably the game of the season thus far.
Coach Mike Krzyewski, who entered the tournament 12-0 in Maui, left the tournament 15-0, narrowly eclipsing Bill Self’s tenacious Jayhawks in a 68-61 victory.
The win upheld his flawless record and title as the only coach to never lose in the tournament.
Duke received the coveted Wayne Duke Championship Trophy, and a Koa embalmed surfboard to be housed in its trophy case.
Teams that have participated in the event have gone on to win a staggering 62 out of 73 NCAA championships, which speaks volumes to the caliber of the competition.
Since the tournament’s inception, The County of Maui has invested more than $1 million in the Lahaina Civic Center, with renovations including new flooring and permanent air conditioning.
The investment has paid off dividends, as its transformation has attracted far more than just the teams participating.
Notable attendees for this year’s games included Maui-native Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies, Danny Ainge, GM of the Boston Celtics, and Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers, who served as interim assistant coach for Memphis.
Also in attendance were two legendary NBA figures with sons competing against each other for the national spotlight.
Doc Rivers, who currently coaches the Boston Celtics, watched his son Austin – Duke’s freshman point-guard, face off against Michigan’s Tim Hardaway Jr., son of Tim Hardaway, also in attendance.
The event was broadcast live in high definition on ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPNU.
Games were also streamed worldwide on ESPN360.com, with color commentary provided by Jay Bilas and Jimmy Dykes, among others.
Local food vendors such as Hula Grill and Cool Cat Burgers curated the event, along with locally brewed beer from the Maui Brewing Company available to thirsty patrons.
That an intimately sized gymnasium in Lahaina, Maui, could become the beckon for top-tiered basketball programs across the country, speaks to the prestigious nature of the competition and location.
And while there may be larger venues in other areas, with hi-tech scoreboards and scantily clad cheerleaders, when it comes to hosting a high-octane tournament in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Maui nō ka ʻoi.