Aptly tapped with an aviation theme and located mere miles from the former workshop of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the Good Samaritan Hospital Flyin to the Hoop Boys High School Basketball Invitational continues to soar. One of Ohio’s top high school events regardless of sport, the Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH has become one of the country’s most respected basketball invites and arguably the top tournament of its kind in the Midwest in just nine short years.
What separates FTTH from other events? Basically everything…
Starting its FOURTH SEASON at Kettering’s TRENT ARENA, the Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH offers a great mixture of not only the Miami Valley’s finest, but Ohio’s finest versus top-notch out-of-state competition. We’re talking the best versus the best.
At the the Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH you can see Dayton-based squads like Dunbar, Alter, Wayne, Trotwood-Madison and Centerville and Ohio-based schools Chillicothe, Garfield Heights, Dublin Coffman, Westerville South and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary test themselves against some of the nation’s top and most well-known teams (i.e. Oak Hill Academy and Montrose Christian).
This year is no different.
Of the 24 Ohio teams in this year’s field, 19 are ranked in our OhioHShoops.com and JJHuddle.com State Power Poll. Dunbar (D-II) and Taft (D-III) are No. 1.
Of the nine national teams, three (Miller Grove, Ga.; Whitney Young, Ill.; and Simeon, Ill.) are ranked in national polls. Four others feature players ranked in the Top 10 nationally in the senior, junior, sophomore and yes, even freshman, classes.
Very rarely do you get the opportunity to see this much talent in one place over three days.
TAKING FLIGHT
So just how good are some of these guys? Expect to see some in the NBA – literally. It’s always been that way. At the first Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH, held in 2003 at Vandalia Butler’s Student Activities Center, five current NBAers took the court, including three that made the first all-tournament team: J.R. Smith (St. Benedict’s Prep, Newark, NJ), Von Wafer (Heritage Christian, Houston, TX) and Rudy Gay (Archbishop Spalding). Josh Boone (West Nottingham Academy) and Marcus Williams (Oak Hill Academy) also played in the inaugural event, as did NBDL player J.R. Pinnock (Coastal Christian).
Since that first Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH, six more NBAers have appeared including Dayton’s own Daequan Cook (Dunbar), B.J. Mullens (Canal Winchester), DeAndre Jordan (Christian Life Center), Brandon Jennings (Oak Hill Academy), Avery Bradley (Findlay Prep) and Hamady N’diaye (Stoneridge Prep).
Collegiately, nearly 100 current NCAA Division I players have appeared at the Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH. Colleges sporting FTTH alumni on their rosters include: Duke, Ohio State, Kansas, Kentucky, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Texas, Memphis, Purdue, Marquette, Michigan State, Boston College, Dayton, UNLV, Arkansas, Louisville, Georgia, Georgetown, Florida, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Notre Dame and Wright State.
Like we said – very rarely do you get the opportunity to see this much talent in one place over three days.
TITLE SPONSOR: GOOD SAM
This is the first year that the the Good Samaritan Hospital Flyin to the Hoop has had a title sponsor with the addition of Good Samaritan Hospital to the equation. A Miami Valley staple since 1932, Good Samaritan Hospital provides advanced services for heart and vascular care, orthopedics, cancer treatment, diagnostics, women’s health, and much more.
TRENT ARENA
After its successful stay at the Butler SAC, the Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH enjoyed its initial run at Trent Arena in 2008.
Trent Arena stands as a testament to the Kettering School District and was completed in October of 2005. It was part of a larger 102 million-dollar construction process that encompassed the entire district, which owns and operates the venue.
On December 2, 2005 the arena was dedicated to James S. Trent former principal and Superintendent of the Kettering School District. The event marked the opening of the 2005-06 Fairmont boys basketball season, and the first ever sellout crowd. Trent seats 3,650.
Ironically, Jim Trent had been one of the Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH’s biggest supporters and fans while at Vandalia and is even more so now that it is at the Trent.
3…2…1
This year the Good Samaritan Hospital FTTH looks to add to its legacy. Again saddled with a standout line-up, there is a great mixture of hometown teams, out-of-town talent and solid basketball. Are you ready? You better be.
