Sleepy Thompson Basketball

The Annual Sleepy Thompson Boys Basketball Tournament is the oldest SSSAS tournament supported by the Saints Athletics Club, and one of the region's most prestigious high school basketball events. Coach Albert L. "Sleepy" Thompson started the annual tournament to bring together schools with similar academic and athletic objectives for a friendly competition. Each year, eight teams compete in the invitational tournament. The whole school rocks with spirit the week of this event, as students from junior kindergarten through twelfth grade, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni come out to support their Saints. Fans of all the teams fill Goodwin Gym to enjoy competitive basketball in a friendly environment, where an atmosphere of sportsmanship and camaraderie prevails ~ as it has for 65 years!

Albert L. "Sleepy" Thompson (1925-1992) is one of the most beloved and admired teachers and coaches in our school’s history. He came to St. Stephen’s School in 1952 and remained connected to the school for the next 40 years in many roles including coach, teacher, and director of athletics. When Coach Thompson retired as coach of the varsity basketball team in 1972, he had racked up 307 wins, including four IAC titles, three SSS tournament trophies, and several years in the area's top 20. 

It wasn’t just the big numbers that made Coach Thompson great. It was loyalty with open-mindedness, discipline with humor, competitiveness with sportsmanship, honesty with understanding, and a host of other qualities that combined to make him the consummate role model. The annual basketball tournament, now named in honor of Coach Thompson, reflects those values in many ways. There is always a competitive field of teams who conduct themselves with honor. There is always a loyal crowd of fans for what is arguably our most vocal show of school spirit all year. There is always a group of hardworking parents and faculty volunteers handling a variety of jobs, including having fun selling food and drinks to basketball fans. It's a time for the Saints to show our best, in the name of a man who gave us his best. Read more about Sleepy's legacy.