The Cordova basketball program has two teams committed to fly in for this year’s 43rd annual Tip-Off Tournament from Jan. 15-17, but is still hoping to raise enough funds to bring in a third team.
Cordova Activities Director Seth Balint confirmed with The Cordova Times this week that Nome and Akiachak have committed to come for Tip-Off, which is one of the only opportunities each season the Wolverines get to play on their home court.
However, he emphasized the district is still looking for more sponsors to potentially help pay for another team to fly in and round out the four-school tournament.
“Every year the Cordova School District relies on the community of Cordova to help sponsor our long historic annual basket tournament, but this year we hope to get more businesses involved,” Balint said. “With budget cuts to Alaska schools it’s harder and harder for sports teams to travel and host these types of events.”
District officials earlier this winter were unsure if Tip-Off would commence as scheduled, since the Alaska Marine Highway System has temporarily gone out of service in and out of Cordova.
Many prospective tournament opponents have said their teams wouldn’t be able to travel, since flying on Alaska Airlines is much more expensive than taking the ferry – which is scheduled to return to Cordova after the tournament starts, on Jan. 16.
Balint told The Cordova Times that Birchwood Christian School has first dibs on the final spot in the tournament depending on the availability of the ferry.
However, he said the district is still trying to solicit funds to cover about half the cost it would take to fly another team to Cordova. He estimates that would be between $4,500 to $5,000.
“Our hope is to have the funds available to be able to offer schools money if it came down to it,” he said.
Interested sponsors should reach out to Balint at [email protected], or by phone at 907-424-4655.
