Basketball: Popular Errion Tournament also an interesting

fund-raiser

Richard Dunn

CORONA DEL MAR - In what has become one of the Newport-Mesa

community’s most unique fund-raisers and all-day gatherings of former

athletes, the 13th annual Corona del Mar High Jack Errion Memorial

Basketball Tournament is among today’s sports highlights, beginning at 8

a.m.

The hugely popular tournament, started by 1983 Corona del Mar graduate

Mike Hess, features CdM boys basketball teams from different eras,

including some from the 1970s.

In last year’s Errion Tournament, always played on the last Saturday

in July, the Class of 1981 won another summer title as the alumnus from

Errion’s CIF Southern Section 3-A championship squad was once again led

by Jeff Pries.

Pries, who led the ’81 team to its Errion Tournament-record fourth

title, scored 22 points in the 2000 final as ’81 edged the Class of ‘86,

52-48, after once leading by 19 points.

The ’86 squad, which has won the tournament twice with Jeff Fryer,

last year also featured Mark McGrath, the singer for the band “Sugar

Ray.”

Tournament co-director Jon Upham said he didn’t know if McGrath would

appear again this year, but added that Hess, a celebrated CdM point guard

and later a collegiate and European professional player, would play in

this year’s tournament.

“Mike’s been (living) in Europe, but he’s in town and is going to play

for the first time in a very long time,” Upham said.

In addition to the ’81 and ’86 teams, the Class of 1990 has captured

two Errion Tournament titles, including one year with former Oregon

quarterback and Rose Bowl co-MVP Danny O’Neil.

Along with Pries last year, the Class of ’81 was led by Steve Moore’s

11 points.

Mark Spinn, the ’81 team’s center during its CIF championship run,

helped his class to Errion Tournament titles in the past, but couldn’t

play last year because of back problems. Spinn is not expected to play

again, considering the pounding the event puts on an aging man’s already

broken-down body.

“Now, if I play (basketball) for a half hour, I do my Nick Nolte

imitation for two weeks,” said Spinn, referring to the opening scene in

the movie “North Dallas 40,” in which Nolte can barely get out of bed.

“So I don’t do it anymore and I don’t play in the alumni tournament,”

added Spinn, who played with seniors Pries, Moore and Chris Lynch, while

Hess was a sophomore on the ’81 CIF title team.

Fryer, who played on Loyola Marymount’s 1990 NCAA Elite Eight team

with Bo Kimble and the late Hank Gathers, scored 20 points for the Class

of ’86 in last year’s Errion final.

There are some who believe that business increases at local massage

centers on the Sunday following the Errion Tournament, in which most

players end the marathon day in need of oxygen and begin the next morning

in sheer agony.

CdM’s first-year coach, Ryan Curry, is expected to be on hand today,

while former coach Paul Orris will lend his support in the morning, Upham

said.

The event raises funds for the CdM basketball program, as well as the

school’s special education program. A silent auction is also held

throughout the day.

Upham said between 16 and 18 teams will play in today’s madcap

basketball tournament under one roof, where the championship final is

slated for about 5 p.m.

As many as 25 teams have competed in the Errion Tournament in the

past.

Local legend Roy Jenkins, who coached many of the CdM players growing

up at the Harbor Area Boys Club, will once again serve as head referee

for the day.