How our Kendall Became One of the Oldest Basketball Tournaments... Anywhere

Some say it’s the oldest high school basketball tournament in Northern California. Some say the entire state. Some even say west of the Mississippi. No one knows for sure. But what is certain is that Placer High will again host the 83rd Kendall Arnett Tournament December 29-31 this year, continuing a legacy began generations ago.

The tourney has a storied history and has always been held in the school’s iconic Earl Crabbe Gym. It began as a one-day basketball tournament in January 1943 as part of the Victory program instituted at the school during World War II. The event matched eight invited teams in ten games that ran from 9 am to 9 pm.

It included a Placer College game and a Victory Ball following the tournament. Preliminary rounds featured games of five minute quarters, while the championship game had eight minute quarters. Folsom won the first championship with a thrilling 23–22 win over Christian Brothers to receive a $25 war bond. Placer won the consolation berth over Oroville 42-28.

Conceived by Placer coach Kendall Arnett shortly after he arrived at Placer in February of 1942, the affair was initially called the Block P Patriotic Basketball Tournament. Little did the coach know that the event would become one of the most prestigious basketball tournaments in the state.

The event continued to be an annual happening with Placer reaching the finals in 1944 and 1947, but failing to claim the crown. It wasn’t until 1948 when legendary coach Ralph LeFebvre’s squad beat San Juan 27-20 for the host team’s first title.

The tournament included several awards: Most Valuable Player, All-tournament players, top scorer, top rebounder, team spirit award, outstanding rooting section, and best cheerleaders, selected by a panel of local judges who attended all games. Originally, there was even a queen selected from Placer who reigned over the post-tournament dance.

In 1954, Arnett, founder of the tournament, which was now 12 years old, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. The Block P Club honored its beloved advisor by changing the name of the 1955 tournament to the Kendall Arnett Tournament, which has remained to this day.

That year, faced with hosting the first tournament in honor of Arnett, Placer faced a daunting challenge and didn’t seem to have a chance. The team was young but filled with raw talent. They had finished the regular season with a mediocre 8-12 record.

Playing before a raucous home audience, the Hillmen fought their way into the championship game against San Juan. With two minutes to play, the Hillmen trailed by six points when Coach Ralph LeFebvre called a time out for his exhausted cagers.

When play resumed, Ola Lee Murchison cleared a rebound and put in a layup to narrow the Spartans’lead. Incredibly, Dave Virgil connected on a 30-foot desperation shot to tie the game in the final seconds. In overtime, Murchison stole the ball and put in the clinching layup to secure an emotional 47-43 victory to honor Arnett.

Eventually the tournament expanded to play regulation quarters and expanded to three days, resulting in another legendary final game. In 1970, Placer barely made their way into the finals with two shabby performances, only to face the high-scoring Jefferson of Daly City, the defending tournament champions.

The talented Bay Area squad had won their previous two tourney games by scoring 96 and 95 points. Their star Pinky Smith was averaging 28 points a game and burly Earl Wilson controlled the boards for them.

But in the final, the Hillmen, coached by Tom Barry, shut down the Jefferson offense and controlled the boards to score an 80-65 upset in one of the most dramatic games in tournament history. Placer’s Gary Just scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Gary Hodgkin and Greg Hashhagen each 14 points to help claim the title.

In 1971 the tournament was moved from January to December, resulting in two such tournaments that year. But regardless of the year, the venerable Earl Crabbe Gym becomes a hot, sweaty venue, decorated with brightly colored banners, fans standing shoulder to shoulder along the sidelines, the pep band rocking away, and the old wooden bleachers shaking with cheering fans.

Today, the spirit of the Kendall Arnett Tournament remains as vibrant as ever. The iconic Earl Crabbe Gym continues to come alive each December with the echoes of dribbling basketballs, roaring fans, and the proud traditions of Placer High School. As players battle it out on the court and spectators pack the stands, the tournament serves as a living tribute to its founder, Kendall Arnett, and the generations of athletes, coaches, and fans who have made it a hallmark of high school basketball excellence.

Pictured Top: Originally known as the Block P Patriotic Basketball Tournament, the hoops contest was founded in 1943 by Placer High Coach Kendall Arnett (right) during WWII.

Pictured Middle: Placer players celebrate an emotional 1955 championship victory the year the tournament was renamed to honor Coach Kendall Arnett who passed away the previous year.