Old-school excitement for prep basketball

Hotel rooms are scarce, tickets are in demand, and the city of Eugene is bracing for one of the largest tourism and economic windfalls in a decade. Welcome to the new era of Oregon high school basketball.

Just four years after interest in the sport appeared to bottom out in the state, the Class 6A and 5A boys state tournament is the most anticipated in decades — in large part because two of the United States’ top players will participate.

As 16 boys teams, parents and fans arrive in Eugene for the four-day event today through Saturday, Oregon’s second-largest city will grow by about 20,000 people — roughly 15 percent — and its economy will score an estimated $1.6 million in revenue, according to Lisa Lawton, director of community relations for the Convention & Visitors Association of Lane County.

 – Excerpt from The Oregonian, March 7, 2007