THE LATEST LINE: U-HIGH TOURNEY PROVES TO BE ONE OF MOST EXCITING EVER

The 56th annual University High School Christmas Tournament that concluded Saturday night at the Show Me Center received some pre-tourney criticism from various corners for featuring one of its weakest fields in years.

While it was true that some of the traditional tournament powers might be a bit down this season and the overall talent level is not nearly what it might have been in some other years, it also appeared that quite a few of the traditional have-nots were a little stronger than ever, which a lot of people figured would lend itself to one of the most balanced tournaments in a long time.

And that's exactly the way things played out. The four-day, 26-game event was a virtual thrill-a-minute affair, with more games going to the wire than in any U-High tourney in recent memory.

For example, during Friday's third round, the six games were decided by a total of 26 points, with a one-pointer, a three-pointer and two four-pointers.

Then during Saturday's four games, there was an overtime thriller in the consolation final and highly competitive affairs in the fifth-place and championship contests.

Here are a few of my personal favorite highlights (I don't have enough space to mention them all) from the tournament:

* Class 1A Advance putting on another Hoosiers-like performance in getting to the finals for the second straight year after having previously not made the title game since 1960 -- and this time winning it all by stunning 4A Jackson.

* Perennial tournament and area whipping boy Chaffee, which had won only a combined five games over the past three seasons, becoming probably the tourney's most surprising squad by winning three of four and claiming the consolation title.

* Only two teams winding up playing in the final-day game that they were seeded to be in: Jackson (No. 2, which finished second) and Notre Dame (No. 3, which captured third place). That shows just how balanced, competitive and unpredictable the tournament was.

* Plenty of teams far exceeding their seedings, including: Advance (No. 5, finished first); Oran (No. 9, fifth); Bell City (No. 10, sixth); Chaffee (No. 14, ninth); and Kelly (No. 13, 10th).

* Individually, Chaffee's Matt Stroup -- who was arguably the tournament's outstanding player -- killing everybody with his jump stops and slashing moves to the basket on his way to what is believed to be a tourney-record 119 points.

On a down note, the tournament sorely missed Leopold coach Carlton Thoma, a longtime fixture at the event who experienced chest pains and had to be rushed to the hospital prior to his team's first-round game Wednesday.

Thoma underwent heart bypass surgery Thursday and I'm happy to report that his family says he is recovering well. My thoughts and prayers -- and I'm sure everybody in local sports circles echoes my sentiments -- go out for a speedy recovery to one of the many really good guys on the area coaching scene.

The bottom line from the past four days? It was a great tournament. And anybody who has lobbied to have the event changed up a bit, with some of the perennially poor teams being replaced, might have to let that argument take a rest for at least a little while.

And one final footnote regarding the tournament:

I was scheduled to be in El Paso, Texas, through late Friday covering SEMO basketball, but horrible weather caused my flight to be canceled and I never made it.

At first it was disappointing, because I was really looking forward to the trip, but it allowed me to take in most of the U-High games. I've been covering the event since 1984 and this was one of the most exciting ones I can remember.