MLK Day High School Basketball Tourney At Lewis & Clark College

PORTLAND, OR — The second annual MLK Basketball Invitational at Lewis & Clark College in Southwest Portland will showcase 11 schools from Oregon and Washington. The Portland Interscholastic League event will present six games beginning at 10 a.m. Jan. 15 at 0615 S.W. Palatine Hill Rd. in Portland.

Matching up some of the best high school basketball teams in the Pacific Northwest on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the PIL hopes to provide attendees with an entertaining and meaningful day of sports and remembrance.

Made up of both boys and girls teams, PIL spokeswoman Marci McGillivray told Patch the league wanted to bring the kids together again not only for another fun day of healthy competition but also to share with each other their varying perspectives on Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.

"As we reflect on what today represents, we must ask ourselves what we are doing to make the world a better place. Having the ability to directly impact student-athletes is a privilege and one that must be recognized," District Athletic Director Marshall Haskins said. "(Martin Luther King Jr. Day) represents perseverance, legacy, hope, healing, leadership, cooperation and vision. We continue striving to live for what (Jan. 15) means. Thank you to our coaches, educators and administrators for their continuous work on carrying out Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream."

In honor of the namesake's invitational, McGillivray said each school was asked to submit a statement of their own regarding what Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy means to them. Their responses are below.

Game One @ 10 a.m.

• The Roosevelt High School Roughriders take on the Lake Oswego Lakers (boys)

Roosevelt Boys

• "Dr. King’s legacy represents fearlessness, wisdom, courage and responsibility; things that young men need to be future leaders of our community."

Lake Oswego Boys

• "We are thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the MLK event held at Lewis and Clark College. Having the privilege of representing our Lake Oswego community on a day that honors the legacy of a leader (who) embodied the values of courage, truth, and justice is something we will cherish."

Game Two @ 11:45 a.m.

• The Generals of U.S. Grant High School at Marshall Campus challenge the Lakeridge High School Pacers, ranked #2 in Oregon (boys)

The Grant High School Boys and Girls Joint Statement

• "Grant High School values diversity, and our team accepts the responsibility of building healthy relationships across all color lines and ethnic backgrounds."

Lakeridge Boys

• No Statement Given

Game Three @ 1:30 p.m.

• The #9-ranked Generals girls team will battle the #3-ranked Clackamas High School Cavaliers (girls)

Clackamas Girls

• "MLK Day encourages us ALL to 'Walk the Walk' in the way we treat others and embrace equity."

Game Four @ 3:15 p.m.

• The best girls basketball teams in Oregon face off when Benson Polytechnic High School's #2-ranked Techsters take on the #1 Skyhawks of Southridge High School in Beaverton (girls)

Benson Girls

• "MLK Day serves as a humble reminder of what mankind is capable of when we put other people's interest ahead of our own."

Southridge Girls

• No Statement Given

Game Five @ 5 p.m.

• Oregon's #3 boys team faces an out of state challenger when the West Linn High School Lions play the Vikings of Seattle's Rainier Beach High School, ranked #8 in Washington (boys)

West Linn Boys

• "Live every day by the standards Dr. King set for us. Live by faith, kindness and fortitude and remember love always trumps hate."

Rainier Beach Boys (Coach)

• "Having lived through those times it reminds me of the need to educate our young people of what Dr. King stood for and fully understand the rights they now enjoy because of Dr. King’s fight for freedom, justice and equality for all."

Game Six @ 6:45 p.m.

• The headline event pits Oregon's best versus Washington's best when the #1 Jefferson High School Democrats battle the #1 Garfield High School Bulldogs, a team coached by former Portland Trailblazer Brandon Roy (shooting guard from 2006 to 2011).

Jefferson Boys

• "Martin Luther King Jr. was very instrumental in the fight and struggles for human equal rights. The movement that he helped create is a big reason we have some of the freedoms that we have today. It is a blessing that we can honor this man on this day given his contributions to society."

Garfield Boys

• No Statement Given

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, with proceeds going toward PIL-funded athletic programs and to help pay fees for students in-need.

Image: B_Me via Pixabay.com