Annual Adolph Rupp Invitational Basketball Tournament
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Halstead High School
316-835-2682

Honoring Coach Adolph F. Rupp, the winningest coach in college basketball, whose boyhood home was Halstead, Kansas.

Adolph F. Rupp
"Baron of Basketball"

Born and raised in Halstead, Kansas (Sept 2, 1901).

Retired with 876 wins. Most wins in NCAA History.

Member of the 1922 and 1923 teams at Kansas University that won the Helms Foundation National Championships (coach Forest Allen).

Head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats for 42 seasons with a compiled winning percentage of 82%.

Humble Beginnings

On February 11, 1970, Adolph Rupp wrote a letter to then Halstead High School principal Eugene L. Busse. The contents were very explicit:

Dear Mr. Busse:

I was glad to get your letter and appreciate it very much. You may have my permission to name your invitational tournament the Adolph Rupp Invitation Tournament. You certainly have a rich basketball heritage and I hope some day I may get back for the tournament.

Sincerely,

Adolph F. Rupp

Adolph Rupp Tournament Pride!

The community of Halstead holds great pride in the accomplishments of coach Rupp. For the last 35 years Halstead has put forth a great effort to make this week-long basketball tournament a grand affair. The communities competing bring great crowds filled with enthusiasm to Halstead. We have started this ongoing website to not only honor coach Rupp but also promote the Rupp Tournament and the teams past and present. This site will be an on-going developing site that will be updated daily as the tournaments progress: the brackets will be updated during the tournaments.

Which School Has Most Wins? Has Participated in the Most Tournaments?

The Rupp Tournament has hosted many teams in the past 35 years: Hesston, Peabody, Hillsboro, Goddard, Ellsworth, Mulvane, Sacred Heart, Central Christian, Little River, Gossel, Burrton, S.E. Saline, Clearwater, Stafford, Cheney, Pretty Prairie, Trinity, Lyons, Douglas, and Ulysses, to name just a few.

• Cheney is our highest returning participant with 30 years
• Haven is second with 27
• Garden Plain with 24 years

Most wins by one team:

• Halstead with 5
• Haven with 5
• Hesston with 5

We have had many MVP's at this tournament that have gone on to Division I Basketball and several that have made participated at the Olympics.

"This is just a great atmosphere for the kids and fans alike and the community of Halstead really enjoys being ambassadors for all of the basketball fans and teams attending the Annual Adolph Rupp Basketball Tournament," explains Wedel.

Come be part of our basketball heritage at the Adolph Rupp Invitational Tournament!