Sleepy Thompson Basketball

Thursday-Saturday, December 5-7
Upper School Goodwin Gymnasium
Thursday Games at 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.
Friday Games at 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.
Saturday Games at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.

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 more than 60 years!

For more information on the tournament, please contact Page Moon at page@focusdatasolutions.com.

Directions and a printable map

Thursday, December 6
GAME 1 - 3:00 p.m.: Maret School (54) vs Hargrave Military Academy (61)
GAME 2 - 5:00 p.m.: Carmel School (70) vs Highland School (65)
GAME 3 - 7:00 p.m.: SSSAS (73) vs. St. Anne's-Belfield School (64)
GAME 4 - 9:00 p.m.: Friendship Tech Preparatory (60) vs Catholic High School (64)

Friday, December 7
Consolation Semi-finals:
GAME 1 - 3:00 p.m.: Maret School (66) vs Highland School (72)
GAME 2 - 5:00 p.m.: St. Anne's-Belfield (75) vs Friendship Tech Preparatory (45)

Championship Semi-finals:
GAME 3 - 7:00 p.m.: Hargrave Military (65) vs Carmel School (49)
GAME 4 - 9:00 p.m.: SSSAS (67) vs Catholic High School (43)

Saturday, December 8
11:00 a.m. 7th Place Game: Maret School vs Friendship Tech Preparatory
1:00 p.m. 5th Place Game: Highland School (75) vs St. Anne’s-Belfield (63)
3:00 p.m. 3rd Place Game: Carmel School (66) vs Catholic High School (72)

Championship Final
5:00 p.m.: SSSAS (78) vs Hargrave Military Academy (49)

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.