Southern Oregon’s largest sporting event comes to the region’s largest indoor sports venue May 11-12 to score big with hoopsters and fans from across the West Coast.
The Southern Oregon Open, the region’s premier basketball tournament, is poised to return Saturday, May 11. The 16th annual Open, in partnership this year with the City of Medford, is the largest event hosted at Rogue X since the community complex opened in January.
More than 180 teams from across the West Coast and Nevada will take to Rogue X’s eight basketball courts, as well as several Medford school gymnasiums. Boys and girls in grades 5-12 will compete Saturday and Sunday for titles in their respective divisions. Team registration fees and other funds raised benefit tournament host Kids Unlimited and the organization’s work to empower kids, regardless of race, culture and background, with opportunities to succeed.
The opportunity to give back through basketball became a senior project for South Medford High School standout Kyle Singler. The tournament not only fulfilled Singler’s school senior project requirements but grew into a signature fundraiser with help from such local sponsors as Lithia and & Driveway.
Singler went on to lead Duke University to an NCAA national title and played for seven seasons in the NBA. He and his brother, EJ Singler, supported the event during their college and professional careers. Over the years, S.O. Open has hosted numerous future college players and is one of the highest-profile youth basketball tournaments throughout Oregon.
With nearly 2,000 participants and 10,000 spectators projected, S.O. Open also has a significant economic impact locally. Tournament organizers and industry insiders forecast it will bring more than $1 million in revenue through hotel bookings and other hospitality and tourism sales generated over the weekend.
New this year, KU will operate a barbecue-inspired mobile food unit at Rogue X, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 11. Featuring barbecue pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, all-beef hot dogs and homemade side dishes, KU’s food sales — and all tournament proceeds — go toward the nonprofit organization’s programming for under-resourced children and families locally.
“It’s one of the biggest basketball tournaments in our Pacific Northwest region, and best of all — 100% of the proceeds are dedicated to ensuring vulnerable kids and families have opportunities to participate in education, arts, sports and access to healthy meals,” said Tom Cole, KU’s founder and chief executive officer. “What started out as a senior project by Kyle and EJ Singler has grown into one of our region’s largest sporting events with an impact that lasts far after the last buzzer has sounded.”
Game play is centralized at Rogue X with additional games scheduled at KU in Medford, South Medford High School, Oakdale Middle School and Cascade Christian High School. An adult, all-day tournament pass for Saturday, May 11, costs $15 and can be purchased at any of the sites. A Sunday pass costs $10. Kids 10 and younger get in free.
Teams play a minimum of three games, and most can expect to play at least four. Event highlights include the T-Mobile free throw contest.
Tournament sponsors, in addition to Lithia & Driveway and T-Mobile, are AllCare Health and U.S. Cellular.
See unlimitedbball.org
