| | |  News from Around Banderas Bay 
XVII International Sports Classic Wrap Up and Report
 Bob Cohen - PVNN
May 13, 2010
| | All of the teams that received trophies in each category of play were captured in this final photo after all trophies were handed out. | |
The XVII International Sports Classic came to a close at 7:00 PM Sunday after yet another successful, competitive and "fun" four day event for all participants and spectators. Howard Kelsey was the co-founder 17 years ago along with Carlos Yerena with a $300 budget and they decided to have a basketball tournament. They went down and hustled up six basketball teams to play a tournament on the two outside basketball courts at the Sports Stadium across from the Sheraton and 17 years later they were proud and happy to see the event still growing in participants and popularity.
| | Sports Dream, made up of mostly players that played college ball in Utah and Las Vegas were presented with the winners trophy in the Open division. | 
| | The Canada One veterans team who won the Masters (+45) division with the finalists PVR Dupont from Puerto Vallarta. | 
| | Probably the most enthusiastic and well received champions were the Puerto Vallarta girls team, the Jumperz. | 
| | At the Friday night cocktail party at poolside at the Sheraton, Howrad Kelsey on the right introduces the dignitaries and sponsors. | |
The event which has turned into an International Classic with Canadians, Americans and Mexicans competing has sure grown since then as has Puerto Vallarta. There was no gym at the time, no track at the sports facility and no funding to do more than buy some small trophies 17 years ago.
Beginning with a welcome press conference at the Sheraton where the weekend schedule was laid out and dignitaries and sponsors were introduced, followed by the traditional cocktail party at poolside Friday at sunset, the weekend was full for competitors, fans, family and the many that traveled mostly from Vancouver as well as players that made the trip from the western U.S. as well.
This year's event was scaled back to three sports due to the "accordion budget" as Kelsey stated. Last year with the H1N1 scare, the financial crisis, among other issues, the Classic had basketball, soccer and bowling. The same was true this year due to the financial problems around the world, but plans to expand again next year are already in the action stage.
Basketball was the highlight as usual, with four division of competition. There were seven open division basketball teams, four Veterans (over 45) teams, four boys teams for those born after 1994 and four girls teams. All competed 12 hours a day in a total of 30 games to determine the winner in each of the four divisions.
Soccer had 135 teams using every field available in Puerto Vallarta and even a few in Nuevo Vallarta, a total of 11 fields in all. They had action from Thursday through Sunday during all daylight hours in all kids' age groups. Teams traveled from hundreds of miles away to join the local teams in the competitions. As soon as results become available, we will bring them to our readers.
Bowling had a record 40 teams competed at the only bowling alley in town, at the Collage Club at the entrance to the Marina. Again, results aren't available and we will report when we receive them.
Now to basketball, where this reporter spend quite a bit of time. The feature was the Open division where the competition was unlimited to the best players each team could accumulate. Many of the teams had former college basketball stars from the U.S., Canada and Mexico as well as former Canadian Olympians and current and former professional players that play and did play mostly in Europe and Mexico.
The Open division had seven teams and the finals had Sports Dream who defeated the Marineros, the local Puerto Vallarta team in the semifinals against Kahuna/Macra who defeated the Panteras of Guadalajara in the semifinals. Both semifinals were played Saturday evening. Sports Dream was made up of mostly ex-college players from the Utah area and some have moved on to play professionally in Europe and Mexico. Kahuna was made up of a mix of players from Vancouver and Guadalajara and current and former college players.
From the start it was apparent that Sports Dream had assembled an unbeatable squad in this level of play and opened up an early 22-7 lead behind the superb shooting of Mekeli Wesley, formerly of BYU University, before a few three pointers by Kahuna narrowed the lead and ended the opening quarter with Sports Dream leading 22-17. Sports Dream played a near flawless 2nd quarter with Wesley pouring in 19 points, including four 3 pointers in the opening half as Sports Dream extended their lead to 45-25.
The second half had Kahuna scraping for any and all opportunities to score and Wesley started to give his teammates scoring opportunities as well. His teammates performed well and Chuck Overton and Tim Drisdom carried a bulk of the scoring in the 2nd half. Kahuna, behind the scoring of Eric Holm, a youngster from Vancouver and Marco Cervantes of Guadalajara kept the game within reach as they trailed 66-49 after the 3rd quarter. The final quarter was much of the same; Kahuna scrapping for every ball and now trying to hit longer three pointers to get in the game and Sports Dream moving the ball around to all their teammates.
The final was 87-63 and Sports Dream was crowned the champions of the 17th annual basketball open division. The MVP was Wesley, who finished with 24 points and could have scored at least 40 if he shot more in the 2nd half. Teammates Drisdom finished with 19 points and Overton scored 16 in their victory. For Kahuna, Eric Holm was the leading scorer with 19 points and Cervantes added 17 points. Congratulations to both teams. In the losers' bracket, the Panteras from Guadalajara defeated the Marineros of Puerto Vallarta in a close game, 50-45.
On Saturday the Masters or (over 45) division had four teams, one of which was the original team that we have seen for years that included Howard Kelsey, Lars Hansen, who owns an NBA championship ring, Bob Hieltjes and Jeff Moore and are now called Canada One. In the six years I have been involved with the Sports Classic, I have come to know these guys during their annual visits and besides being great basketball players (much better in their prime); they are even better men.
Canada One sailed through the semifinals without a challenge and faced a local team named PV Pinturas Dupont in the finals. Lars Hansen set the tone for the final as the big man scored 8 of the first 12 points in the paint and established an inside dominance that opened the whole floor for his teammates. Canada One led 25-6 after the end of the 1st quarter as the Puerto Vallarta team was just too small and overmatched. The halftime score was 41-19 and the game was basically sealed at the half.
All players scored in double figures for Canada One with Bob Hieltjes leading the way with 16, most of them coming in the 2nd half. Marco Cervantes of Guadalajara put in 15, Dale Turcotte, who was also the player/coach of Sports Dream was deadly from three point range and added 13. Hansen who was the MVP wound up with 12, Kelsey scored 11, Jeff Moore added 10 and the oldest player on the court at 63, Wayne Holm (father of Sports Dream's leading scorer Eric) added 5 points as the final was 80-47 in favor of Canada One. The leading scorer for the Puerto Vallarta team was Marcelo Macra who poured in 18 points, mostly from long range.
The kids that were up to 16 years old had very competitive tournaments in the boys and girls competitions. The boys division was won by Vallarta 1 Marineros and the girls division was also won by a Puerto Vallarta team, the Vallarta 2 Jumperz. At the end of the Classic, all winners and finalists received medals and trophies and the basketball floor was full of happy competitors whose smiles were photo shoots for all the periodicals present as well as the many photographers in attendance.
Thanks again to Howard Kelsey, his co-chair Gemma Garciarce, Carlos Efrain Yerena and the young lady behind the scenes but one that works year round on the event, Veronica Alarcon. We all look forward to the 18th Classic next May.
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