By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
The field has been set for the sixth annual Dowagiac Rotary Club Snowed Out Shoot Out on Feb. 7-8 in the Zollar Sports Center at Southwestern Michigan College.
Dowagiac will face Berrien Springs in the opening game of the tournament at 8 a.m. Edwardsburg will face Lakeshore at 9:15 a.m., while Cassopolis will take on Bangor at 10:30. Marcellus will square off against Watervliet in the final game of the opening round at 11:45.
The winners of the Dowagiac/Berrien Springs-Edwardsburg/Lakeshore contests will play at 1 p.m. on Feb. 7. The winners of the Cassopolis/Bangor-Marcellus/Watervliet contests will play at 3:30 p.m.
The losers of the Dowagiac/Berrien Springs-Edwardsburg/Lakeshore contests will play at 2:15 p.m. on Feb. 7, while the losers of the Cassopolis/Bangor-Marcellus/Watervliet contests will play at 4:45.
On Sunday, Feb. 8, the seventh place game will be played at noon. The fifth place game is set for 1:15 p.m. with the third place game set for 2:30 p.m.
The championship game is scheduled for 3:45 p.m.
Six years ago the Blizzard of '97 cut short the area's junior high basketball season.
Thus was born the Dowagiac Rotary Club's Snowed Out Shoot Out.
The tournament is open to both seventh and eighth grade boy's basketball teams, although it is primarily aimed at eighth grade squads.
The teams, which consist many from players at the various schools, are coached by parents, boosters and even high school players.
Each coach will receive a custom embroidered polo shirt for organizing a team.
All games will be played on a regulation NCAA floor with modified Michigan High School Athletic Association middle school rules.
Varsity officials from the Southwest Michigan Officials Association will referee all games.