'2-and-4' decision squeezes Hawai'i events

• 2002 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournaments in Hawai'i

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

A decision by a federal judge in Ohio yesterday has several college basketball coaches in Hawai'i scrambling to fill out tournament schedules for the upcoming season, and at least one local tournament could be in jeopardy as a result.

Judge Edmund Sargus of the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division, decided in favor of the NCAA yesterday by denying the motion for a preliminary injunction on the "2-and-4" rule for exempted basketball tournaments.

In effect, the decision means that teams can participate in exempted basketball tournaments no more than twice in a four-year period, as per NCAA guidelines. Each of Hawai'i's five college basketball programs — University of Hawai'i, Brigham Young-Hawai'i, Chaminade, Hawai'i-Hilo and Hawai'i Pacific — plays host to an exempted tournament.

Officials from several tournaments across the nation were hoping that Sargus would rule on a permanent injunction to block the rule, thus allowing teams to participate in exempted tournaments annually.

Instead, UH's Rainbow Classic, HPU's Thanksgiving Classic and BYUH's Paradise Jam Hawai'i are now in need of teams willing — and eligible — to participate this year.

"This case dragged on so long, it got to a dangerous point," said UH associate head coach Bob Nash. "Of course, we would have been in a better situation had the 2-and-4 rule been eliminated. But as it stands now, we have only a few weeks to go out and find two teams to fill our tournament."

In his decision, Sargus said that the issue will be revisited in the future. The decision said that because the limitation imposed by the NCAA had been in effect for just two years, it is too early to determine the impact. The decision indicated that any harm caused by the rule will likely happen in the third or fourth year.

The Rainbow Classic has received commitments from six teams (including UH). Two more are needed to complete the eight-team field.

Had the 2-and-4 rule been eliminated, Nash said Memphis, Alabama and Oklahoma were willing to participate in the Rainbow Classic.

The HPU Thanksgiving Classic has commitments from just three teams (including HPU), and may have to become a four-team tournament instead of eight because of yesterday's ruling.

"Because this thing dragged on and kept everybody on hold, the chances of finding teams was minimized," said HPU head coach Russell Dung. "We'd still like to keep it an eight-team tournament, but at this point, it looks like it's going to be hard to get the teams to come here now."

BYUH's Paradise Jam Hawai'i has not yet signed any NCAA Division I teams to participate this year, and Seasiders head coach Ken Wagner said "there's a good chance" that the tournament might fold because of the ruling.

"I'm very disappointed with how it turned out," Wagner said. "The problem is not just about getting name teams to come over, it's about getting any teams at all."

Many of the "name" programs like Duke, Maryland and Connecticut have used up their eligibility under the 2-and-4 rule and can not participate this year.

Many other schools across the nation are eligible, but as Hawai'i-Hilo head coach Jeff Law said: "The smaller teams can't afford to come out, so that makes the pool even smaller."

UH-Hilo has cut its eight-team Big Island Invitational down to four teams for this year.

The only tournament in relatively solid standing is Chaminade's Maui Invitational.

The eight-team field for this year's Maui Invitational is set, and includes Kentucky and Indiana. What's more, the field for 2003 is also set, and fields for 2004 and 2005 are tentatively set.

"I don't think the 2-and-4 rule affects us as much as some of the other tournaments," said Maui Invitational chairman Wayne Duke. "It will have widespread effect, but we're fortunate to be in a stable situation right now."

Many published stories about the 2-and-4 ruling listed the Maui Invitational as one of the tournaments seeking legal action to have the rule eliminated, but Duke said that is untrue.

"We support the NCAA, and we'll work within the rules set forth," Duke said. "But we have never been a part of any legal action. We've been successful with the 2-and-4 rule in place and we hope to continue doing so."

The 2003 Maui Invitational field will include Hawai'i, California, Dayton, Florida State, Ohio State, San Diego State, Villanova and Chaminade.

The original lawsuit was filed by Cincinnati-based Worldwide Basketball, Sports Tours Inc., Dorna Sports Promotions, LLC and the Gazelle Group. All of the groups have organized or promoted preseason tournaments.

2002 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournaments in Hawai'i

Rainbow Classic

• Dec. 27-29
• Stan Sheriff Center
• Committed teams: Bradley, Butler, Hawai'i, Tennessee Tech, Texas-Pan American, Western Kentucky.
• Teams needed: Two to complete an eight-team field.

Maui Invitational

• Nov. 25-27
• Lahaina Civic
• Committed teams: Arizona State, Chaminade, Gonzaga, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Utah, Virginia.
• Teams needed: None.

HPU Thanksgiving Classic

• Nov. 29-Dec. 1
• Site TBA
• Committed teams: Auburn, Cal-Irvine, Hawai'i Pacific.
• Teams needed: Either one or five. HPU undecided on whether to cut eight-team field down to four.

Paradise Jam Hawai'i

• Dec. 19-21
• Cannon Activities Center
• Committed teams: Brigham Young-Hawai'i.
• Teams needed: Seven to complete an eight-team field.

Big Island

• Invitational
• Nov. 29-Dec. 1
• Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium
• Committed teams: Drake, Hawai'i-Hilo, Utah State, Vermont.
• Teams needed: None; four-team field.