WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – After playing one of its most balanced games of the season, the Lycoming College men’s basketball team will look to defend its second tournament title on its home court of the season when it hosts the first Louis Fleming Basinger Memorial Tournament, starting with the Warriors facing Penn State DuBois on Monday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m.
Delaware Valley (4-4 overall) and Worcester State (1-9 overall) will face each other at 8 p.m. in the other opening round game before the tournament wraps up on Tuesday, Jan. 4. The consolation game will start at 2 p.m. and the championship is set for 4 p.m.
Louis F. Basinger ’56, a Lock Haven, Pa., native, served two tours of duty in the U.S. Army prior to enrolling at Lycoming College in 1952. While at Lycoming, he majored in psychology and English and was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and the Dramatic Club. He also served on the Interfraternity Council. Following his graduation from Lycoming, he went on to obtain a master’s at Catholic University and a Ph.D. at George Washington University.
In 1965, Lou married Debra Joseph and moved to Bangkok, Thailand, where he spent a considerable amount of time working among the Montagnard Tribes in Vietnam for both Booz Allen and Philco Ford. In 1968, he moved his family to Hawaii, where he served on the Scientific Advisory Group to CINCPAC (the United State Pacific Command). From there, he held research positions in Maryland and Kentucky, and finally settled with his wife and three children in Miami, Fla.
In Florida, Lou worked for many years as an industrial psychologist and test specialist for numerous municipalities throughout the state. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 76.
“(Louis) spoke often of how much he loved his years at Lycoming and of the many lifelong friendships he made there,” Lorrie Basinger-Fleischman, Louis’ daughter, said. “We are proud to sponsor this basketball tournament in his name, and we are certain that as our family’s biggest sports fan, he, too, would be proud.”
The Warriors (8-3 overall) are coming off a 98-78 win over Shenandoah in which junior Mike Bradley (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph’s Prep) led the Warriors with a season-high 20 points. Sophomore Jerald Williams (Riverdale, Md./Bladensburg) was also key in the win, posting his first career double-double with 18 points and 12 assists against the Hornets.
Penn State DuBois (5-5 overall) was predicted to finish third in the PSUAC this season. The team has two players who were on the Preseason All-PSUAC team, led by first-team selection Josh Salter and second-team pick Jovan Brown.
Delaware Valley leads the Freedom Conference with a 2-0 league record to go with a 4-4 overall mark. The team is led by a pair of dynamic scorers, as James Jones leads the team with an average of 16.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game and Jeremy Beckett, who averages a double-double at 13.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per contest.
Worcester State heads into the tournament trying to shake off a tough 76-73 loss at Anna Maria on New Year’s Eve. Dave Douillette led the Lancers in the game, posting 19 points and 11 rebounds. Monte Goodwin leads the team, averaging 12.8 points and 7.5 rebounds and Douillette adds 12.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest.
