33rd
INTERNATIONAL
SMALL FRY
TOURNAMENT
The 2000 International field includes:
- Seven former International champions: Bucaplaa PR, Chicago Heights, Fraigcomar PR, Homewood, Highwood Heat, West Pullman Runners and Newark.
- Teams from Puerto Rico and three different states: New Jersey, Illinois and Wisconsin.
- Nine returnees from 2000: Chicago Heights, Highwood Heat, Homewood, Kenosha, Newark Project Pride, St. Rocco, Chicago Marquette Best, Washington Jaguars, West Pullman Runners.
- One first-time qualifier: Chicago Sound.
- Four of last year's Final Four: Homewood, Washington Jaguars, Highwood Heat, Maquette Best.
Last year's International title for Homewood denied the Highwood Heat a "four-peat." Highwood's three straight titles marked the first time that a team had won three straight crowns since Liga Club
of San Juan, P.R. captured four straight from 1976-79. The New York Harlem Satellites (1970-71) are the only other team to win back-to-back titles. Prior to the Highwood three-peat, six different
states/territories had won International crowns in six years. Starting with 1992 in New Orleans, the title had been won by New Jersey (Newark, 1992), Puerto Rico (Fraigcomar, 1993), Wisconsin (Racine, 1994),
Indiana (Gary, 1995), Chicago (Runners, 1996) and Illinois (Highwood, 1997). Sixteen different teams have won International tournaments, as Homewood became the ninth multiple winner last year (1985). Other
multiple winners include Racine (1972, 1981, 1987, 1994); the New York Harlem Satellites (1970, 1971, 1974); Liga Interclub of St. Juan (1973, 1976-79); Chicago Heights, Ill. (1980, 1991); Ponce, Puerto Rico
(1984, 1990); Fraigcomar, Puerto Rico (1989, 1993) and the West Pullman Runners (1988, 1996).
In nine of the last 10 years, the International title has been decided within the same geographical region. The streak includes: 1991 Chicago Heights over Highwood Small Fry; 1992 Newark
over Riverside, N.Y.; 1993 Fraigcomar over Torrimar; 1995 Gary, Ind. over Highwood Small Fry; 1996 Chicago West Pullman Runners over Highwood Small Fry; 1997 Highwood Small Fry over Chicago Marquette
Best. 1998 Highwood Small Fry over Chicago Heights. 1999 Highwood Small Fry over Chicago Washington Jaguars. 2000 Homewood over Chicago Washington Jaguars.
The Midwest or Chicago has been represented in the title game 19 of the last 23 years.
Puerto Rican teams have a 12-3 record in championship games.
The 32 previous champions have represented four different regions: Midwest-Chicago (14), Carribean (13), East (4) and West (1).
- Small Fry's famous alumni includes Nick Van Exel, Denver Nuggets (Kenosha), Charley Scott, Boston Celtics (New York), Craig Hodges, Chicago Bulls World Champs (Chicago Heights); Mike Tomczak, Detroit
Lions (Homewood); Butch Lee, Marquette 1977 National Champs (New York); Veltra Dawson, Villanova 1985 National Champs (Highwood); and Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles (Homewood).
CONSECUTIVE INTERNATIONALS:
17 Newark.
12 Chicago Heights.
9 Highwood Small Fry.
7 Marquette Best.
6 Homewood, W.P. Runners.
4 Kenosha, St. Rocco.
3 Washington Jaguars. A LOOK AT INTERNATIONAL
QUALIFIERS CHICAGO Chicago Sound: Making its initial appearance in the International Tournament
after posting a perfect record in the Windy City Qualifying Tourney.
Marquette Best: The Best has qualified seven years in a row. Dropped a 48-41 title-game decision to Highwood
in 1997. Best earned a third-place finish at Tampa in 1995 the highest ever for a first-year Chicago team. Has never lost an opening-round game.
Washington Jaguars: Making their
fourth visit to the International Tournament after back-to-back title-game setbacks 44-38 vs. Homewood last year and 60-50 to Highwood in 1999. In the only other appearance, the Jaguars finished in seventh
place at Tampa in 1995.
West Pullman Runners:
The two-time champs after a 66-54 overtime title-game win over Highwood at Newark in 1996, the Runners have qualified 13 of the last 14 years. They also captured the 1988 International crown in Chicago Heights with a 71-70 victory over Caguas Prebac of Puerto Rico. The Runners have advanced to the Final Four in eight of 15 appearances.
EAST Newark (N.J.) Project Pride:
The East Coast qualifier runner-up owns the longest string of International appearances at 17. Has won plenty of hardware lately, topping
Riverside Church of New York, 59-48, for the 1992 title in New Orleans, taking second in 1995 at Tampa, third at Tampa in 1990 and the consolation crown at home in Newark in 1987 and 1996, as well as 1999 in
Orlando.
St. Rocco (N.J.): A participant in nine previous International Tournaments, St. Rocco has advanced to seven of the last nine International Tourneys. Top finish is seventh at
Tampa in 1994.
Irvington (N.J.): Making its first International appearance since 1999 and third overall, Irvington earned a 13th place finish in 1997 and was 14th
in 1999. MIDWEST Chicago Heights, Ill.:
A five-time host of the International Tourney, the Green Streaks captured the 1980 title at home with a 51-46 victory over rival
Homewood, then added the 1991 title at Newark with a 42-36 win over Highwood Small Fry. Also finished second in 1975 and 1998 and has qualified for a Midwest-best 12 straight International tourneys. Chicago
Heights made three Final Fours in the 1990s and is coming off winning the consolation championship last year.
Harvey Timberwolves: The lone other International Tourney appearance saw
Harvey capture 13th place at Chicago Heights in 1988.
Highwood Heat:
Making its ninth consecutive appearance, Highwood won its first International crown in 1997 in Tampa with a 48-41 decision over Marquette Best, then followed it up with a 58-35 title-game victory over Chicago Heights in 1998 at New Orleans and a 60-50 title-contest decision over the Washington Jaguars in 1999. The Heat has captured the runner-up spot at International four times at Racine in 1985, Newark in 1991 and 1996, and Tampa in 1995. Won the Small Fry Friendship Tournament in 1989 and 1992 and is making its 30th International appearance.
Homewood, Ill. Vikings: The defending champs after a 44-38 title-game decision over the Washington Jaguars last year in Orlando, Homewood has qualified in 12 of the last 13 years.
Homewood also captured the 1985 International crown in Racine with a 51-38 victory over Highwood Small Fry. The Vikings were also second in 1980. Homewood has won five of its last six International
openers and is 14-6 in openers since 1978. The Vikings have won a record eight Midwest qualifying tournaments.
Kenosha, Wis.: After an seventh-place finish last year, Kenosha is
hoping to make its first Final Four since 1995. Kenosha has played in three title contests, falling to Liga Club in 1978 and 1979 and dropping a decision to Canovanas in 1983. Has advanced to the Final Four
five times since 1980. PUERTO RICO Arecibo:
An International participant for the fifth time since 1979, Arecibo returns for the first time since 1992. The best finish in that span
is a sixth place in 1980.
Bayamon: A previous participant in the Friendship Tournament, Bayamon has made just one previous International appearance when it finished 13th
at Orlando in 1999.
Bucaplaa: A returnee to the Big Dance for the first time since 1997 and ninth overall, Bucaplaa captured the crown with a 52-40 decision over Racine in 1986.
Bucaplaa's lone other Final Four visit resulted in a fourth-place finish in 1988.
Fraigcomar: The two-time International champion returns to the International for the second time in
three years. Fraigcomar won the crown as a first-year entry with a 64-58 victory over Young Life, NY at Tampa in 1989, then captured the 1993 title in Tampa with a 52-44 title-game rout over rival Torrimar.
Fraigcomar makes its ninth appearance overall. |
