The William Byrd boys’ basketball team and the Byrd basketball booster club sponsored a youth
tournament at the high school, middle school and high school auxiliary gyms Saturday and the fundraiser
was a big success. The event began at 8 am and ran until 8 pm.
There were 22 teams of all ages from teams in Roanoke County Recreation clubs participating in the
tournament. Each team was guaranteed three games, and the total number of games that were played was 36.
Champions were crowned in divisions that included 9U boys, 11U boys, 11U girls and 13U boys. The Vinton
Heat, coached by Brian Rickerson and Bryan Jones, won the 9U Boys tournament. Other Vinton or Mount Pleasant teams in the tournament included the Mount Pleasant Mustangs, Vinton Tarheels and Vinton Bucks in 11U Boys and the Mount Pleasant Cavs in 11U Girls. Other teams came from the Cave Spring, Hidden Valley and North Roanoke clubs.
There was no charge for families to get into the tournament, only that they bring canned goods to be
donated to the local food shelter for delivery by the high school boys basketball team. Thanks go out to
support from local sponsors Kroger Bonsack, Food Lion Vinton, Coca-Cola, and NY Pizza, along with all
the families, players, and coaches who volunteered throughout the day to make it a success.
