NCSD hosts 53rd Mason-Dixon roundball tournament

The North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton hosted the fifty-third Annual Mason-Dixon Boys’ Basketball Tournament Jan. 27-29. The tournament participants included boys’ basketball teams from 11 schools for the deaf from 10 southern states. Two of these schools are in North Carolina – North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton and Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf in Wilson.

Between opening ceremonies on Wednesday, Jan. 26, and the awards ceremony on Saturday night, Jan. 29, hundreds of NCSD alumni, staff, Booster Club members and community fans filled the newly-renovated Underhill Gymnasium for the single elimination with consolation bracket tournament. Five inches of snow and ice on Saturday did not dampen the enthusiasm or excitement.

Sandy Turner and Garrett Walker, both retired NCSD staff, and Ruth Jones, NCSD director of volunteer services, co-chaired the event, which is widely regarded as the biggest sports event among the schools for the deaf. The tournament attracted the interest and commitment of the entire NCSD staff. Almost every staff member assisted with support activities that included fund-raising; publicity; arranging for accommodations for several hundred visiting basketball players, cheerleaders, coaches and athletic directors; dietary services; scorekeeping; environmental services; decorations; cheerleading competition; security; trouble shooting; and website management.

NCSD finished the tournament in fourth place of 11 schools. NCSD basketball player Cedric Bostic was named to the all-tournament team. ENCSD did not place in the tournament. Mississippi School for the Deaf took the championship for the fourth straight year. South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind took second place.

The cheerleading championship went to Louisiana School for the Deaf for the fourth year. The sportsmanship award went to Florida School for the Deaf and Blind.

The first Annual Mason-Dixon Basketball Tournament was held at the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind in Staunton, Va., in 1953. The First Annual Boys’ Mason-Dixon Basketball Tournament Champions, the NCSD Bears from that championship team, received special recognition during half-time festivities on Saturday night. The tournament was dedicated in honor of Don Lee Hackney, former Kentucky School for the Deaf athletic director, and in memory of Barney Williamson, former ENCSD basketball coach.

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