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The RET Memorial Basketball Tournament:
Three weeks before Ret died, he was given a chance to fly to Utah to see the Jazz and his basketball hero, Karl Malone, play. The following day, Ret was set to go to The Final Four in Indianapolis to meet HHP coach Rich Basirico. Unfortunately, after his rally at the Delta Center, Ret became acutely ill and had to return home, missing The Final Four. It was at this Final Four tournament that Basirico met Bill Kalbaugh of Coaches vs Cancer, and the idea of Ret Thomas Memorial Tournament was born. In Utah, Ret was able to spend time, before and after the game, in the locker room with Malone and the Jazz. Malone was so moved by his short time with Ret before the game, that he had his 5-year old son come to the locker room after the game to meet him. In the weeks following their meeting, Malone called Ret twice to check on him and encourage him. The third time Malone called was the night before Ret passed on. Malone asked him to keep fighting the cancer so he (Malone) could visit him after the end of the NBA season and asked Ret to watch the game that night because he would be playing for him (Ret). Minutes into the game, the Mailman was fouled. Before his first shot, he touched his heart twice with his fingers, pointed to the camera under the basket, and mouthed, “This is for you, Ret.” Those few minutes and the foul shots were probably the last lucid moments of Ret’s life. He died about seven hours later. That the game he loved and one of his heroes should share that moment couldn’t have been more fitting. Ret’s impact on others and his love of the game is aptly recognized by the RET Thomas Memorial Holiday Tournament and its success. Benfitting Coaches vs. Cancer and the RET Pediatric Cancer Foundation, it has raised well over $250,000 in its first seven years and has grown to be the largest single-weekend fundraiser at the high school level for Coaches vs. Cancer in the country. 2007 Expansion Fundraising activity in connection with the tournament includes, and has included many elements: 1) Business and Individual Sponsorships; 2) Sports-related Prize Raffles ; 3) Silent Auctions of Sports Memorabilia 4) Player Sponsorships and Points-Scored Pledges 5) T-Shirt Sales 6) Half-Court Shot and Three-Point Shoot-around Chance Sales 7) Gate Receipts “A dedicated committee and community participation are the keys to the Tournament’s success,” says Rich Thomas, Ret’s father and Managing Director of the RET Pediatric Cancer Foundation and Chairman of the RET Thomas Memorial Holiday Tournament. “The outreach and connections to the business and athletic (college and professional) sectors from such a small core group in such a small town is truly unbelievable.” Sports memorabilia items donated by coaches and friends around the country have included such noteworthy items as: an autographed player jersey from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a signed boxing glove from Muhammad Ali, a soccer ball autographed by Pele, Arnold Palmer autographed prints, Barry Bonds and Cal Ripken autographed baseballs, and basketballs and footballs signed by top professional and collegiate coaches and players. Other fundraising activities include or have included a tournament players’ breakfast hosted by retired professional players and an instructional clinic for young players coached by ex-professional coaches including Bill Blair and legendary ex-Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins. “While it’s comforting and gratifying to have Ret’s memory honored by the Tournament and its success, what it’s really about is raising more and more money to fight this horrible disease,” says Rich Thomas. The Tournament Committee is determined to keep raising the bar. Click here to view photos.
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This annual tournament, held in memory of Ret Thomas, a 15-year old Hilton Head Prep student who lost his battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma in April of 2000, was first played in December of 2000. Proceeds from the Tournament benefit Coaches vs. Cancer and the RET Pediatric Cancer Foundation.