“A Monumental Event” has been embraced as the theme of the McDonald’s Texas Invitational Basketball Tournament. It lived up to its billing in more ways than one.

The tournament has established itself as the one of the top high school tournaments in the state, with several of the nation’s top players and the state’s top-ranked teams filling the 48-team boys’ division and the 32-team girls’ bracket. In the boys divisions, six of the Houston area’s top-10 teams competed in the tournament. More than 35,000 basketball fans attended the three-day event, setting a new attendance record.

And once again, the students and teachers of Pasadena ISD will come out winners as tournament officials feel strongly that the tournament will reach its goal of presenting a $100,000 donation to the district’s Education Foundation.

“In just a few short years, the tournament has grown in stature to become one of the premier invitational basketball tournaments in Texas and is gaining a national reputation for excellence…not just because of the quality of basketball played, but because of the support and enthusiasm of hundreds of community volunteers who have made this a special event for everyone involved,” said Ben Meador, tournament chairman.

Meador said the final numbers are still being tabulated and the tournament’s steering committee will present the tournament’s donation to the Pasadena ISD Board of Trustees at their regular January meeting.

In the tournament’s five-year existence, the tournament has donated more than $260,000 to the Education Foundation – providing grants for teachers to enhance classroom instruction.

“These funds go directly toward the classroom and helping our teachers provide innovative and creative instruction that reaches the hearts and minds of kids,” Pasadena ISD Superintendent Kirk Lewis said. “The proceeds given to the foundation by this tournament are far reaching into classroom projects, student activities and even after-school programs. These funds provide opportunities for students to learn in unique and innovative ways that would otherwise not be afforded through regular school budget.”

The pre-Thanksgiving feast of high school basketball was held Nov. 15-17, 2007 at all five high schools, Beverly Hills Intermediate and San Jacinto College. In addition to the hardwood action, a festival event called Hoop-La provided fun events for all ages before the Gold Division championship games at Phillips Gymnasium.

Klein Collins head coach Tim Schumacher praised the quality of teams and the hospitality shown at the tournament.

“The hospitality is great, the competition is great and we get to play a lot of games,” he said. “The talent is as good as any tournament in the state. The people take such pride in providing us with the best experience possible, and Ben and his staff have done a tremendous job running this tournament and showcasing the city of Pasadena and the school district.”

Comments like those are always welcome news to Meador and the members of the tournament’s steering committee.

“Not only has our tournament positioned itself as one of the best high school basketball tournaments in the state, it has introduced to the rest of Texas all that is good about the school district, the City of Pasadena, its people and its outstanding business climate,” Meador said.

For information on the tournament, log on to www.texasinvitational.com.