HISTORY
The SIAC Basketball Tournament, the oldest post-season tournament in the nation, was the brain child of the late Cleveland Leigh “Major” Abbott. Abbott, a former athletic director and football coach at Tuskegee University, went into the details on the value of a conference basketball tournament with representatives from member institutions during a meeting back in 1933. Later after hearing Abbott’s proposal, the conference voted to sponsor a basketball tournament. The site for the inaugural tournament in 1934 was Logan Hall on the campus of Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Tuskegee, Alabama.
SIAC 1933 Basketball Player
At the outset, teams were limited to ten players and one coach. Logan Hall’s playing area was 5OYx90′, the baskets were official wooden one-
piece backboards which were painted white and Rawlings was the official ball. Today team rosters have been expanded to 15 players and three coaches, the court dimensions has increased and Spalding is the official ball.
One thing that has not changed is the quality of play. There have been many outstanding teams and players to participate in this affair over the past 74 years. Tuskegee won the first tournament with Cleveland Leigh “Major” Abbott at the helm. Morris Brown won three consecutive titles from 1949-5 1, two of which came under the direction of a coach named Herbert “Bus” Thompson. A few outstanding performers include names like Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton (Xavier), Caldwell Jones
(Albany State), John Cheyney (Bethune-Cookman), James “PatchHead” Humphrey (Bethune-Cookman), Clemon Johnson (FloridaA&M), Wfl “One Dollar Bill” Shaw (Lane), Major Jones (Albany State), Harold “Showtime’ ‘ Ellis (Morehouse) and Oliver Jones (Albany State).
The tournament has blossomed into one of the top NCAA Division II basketball events in the country. This annual affair brings together alumni, students, friends, and fans of member institutions to witness an orating display of basketball.
Past Tournament Information
View the Men’s and Women’s Tournament Champions
SIAC Men’s Tournament Champions
SIAC Women’s Tournament Champions
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2008 Tournament Game Results
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2007 Tournament Game Results
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2006 Tournament Game Results
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2005 Tournament Game Results
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| Men’s Tournament
March 2, 2005 Fort Valley State 62, Tuskegee 59 Kentucky State 82, LeMoyne-Owen 57 Lane 59, Clark Atlanta 47 March 3, 2005 Morehouse 78, Miles 61 Albany State 70, Fort Valley St 53 Lane 63, Paine 52 Kentucky State78, Benedict 68 March 4, 2005 Albany State 70, Morehouse 52 Lane 76, Kentucky State 59 March 5, 2005 Lane 84, Albany State 73 |
Women’s Tournament
March 2, 2005 LeMoyne-Owen 63, Lane 61 Albany State 84, Kentucky State 54 Benedict 58, Miles 49 Paine 73, Clark Atlanta 56 March 3, 2005 Fort Valley State 56, Albany State 45 Tuskegee 71, LeMoyne-Owen 62, OT March 4, 2005 Fort Valley State 69, Benedict 67 Paine 78, Tuskegee 66 March 5, 2005 Women’s Championship Game Paine 74, Fort Valley State 72, 2OT |