By Thomas Miller

The annual Hugh Morrell Classic basketball tournament begins on Feb. 2 at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School and the players are putting added emphasis on keeping their trophy at home.
“We want to win this tournament for sure, it’s our home tournament and we got to keep winning on that plaque,” said point guard Duke Young at the school’s press conference on Thursday. “So we’re going to do our best to win it.”
“Our home tournament is definitely my favourite,” added lady Barons captain Desiree Ross. “I love playing in front of a crowd and have people cheer for you rather than not. It’s always nice to have the fan support.”
Barons assistant coach Tyler Christie, himself a Lloyd Comp grad, said the tournament also has great meaning for the alumni, who will be honoured on the tournament’s opening night.
“You get together with guys that played whether it’s 10 years ago, 20 years ago and guys still look back fondly on their time playing as a Baron and especially on the Hugh Morrell,” he said. “I can remember being 15 years old, 16 years old and seeing Hugh Morrell around. So he’s somebody that I think everybody in the community respects and especially us guys that played basketball and got to go through the program we owe a lot to Hugh Morrell.”
Lady Barons head coach Tom Groat started the Hugh Morrell Classic 20 years ago because the former Barons coach left a great impression on him.
“I’ve coached here at LCHS for the past 23 years on again off again, mostly with the basketball program,” said Groat. “I stuck to one program because I felt that was enough for me and that kept me plenty busy. To think that Mr. Morrell did it about the same number of years but he took on three or four or five sports at one time, it blows me away to think he was able to have that sort of energy. I can’t think of a better person to honour than somebody that’s put that sort of time and years in as he has.”
Morrell still gets emotional when he thinks about it.
It’s not often that someone has a tournament named after them.
“Just made me feel really, really great,” Morrell said. “You’re honoured, and you want to be honoured. I don’t care who you are. If you get recognition, you feel good about getting recognition and that’s how it started, getting recognition for the time you had spent here.”
Morrell said he’s able to enjoy the games as a fan now, but the coach in him will never leave.
“If I’m sitting with people, I’ll make comments to them about this thing and that thing,” he said. “Sometimes if the group I’m with doesn’t know too much about it, well I’ll tell them they’re playing a press man-to-man, or a 1-3-1 zone or whatever. I still know a little bit about the game too.”
The tournament kicks off with the Challenge Cup between Bishop Lloyd and E.S. Laird at 4 p.m. on Feb. 2, followed by the Lady Barons and North Battleford at 6:30 p.m., and finally the senior boys team will take on Cold Lake at 8:15 p.m.