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As Kobie Brandt, Kent Wingert and Ryan Lightfoot walk down the halls of Luther College High School, they are reminded of a celebration that occurred inside the gym back in 1990.
“When we first walked back into the gym, it was just like, ‘Wow, this brings it all back,’ ” Lightfoot said Thursday. “The lights, the floor — it just brought a whole rush of memories back, so it’s pretty special to be back here.”
While Brandt and Lightfoot were at the 60th LIT, this version — the 68th — is the first time Wingert had stepped into the halls he once roamed as a teenager since 1996.
“It’s quite overwhelming,” he said. “There has been a lot of changes. Just getting back into the old gym and seeing the new gym, it’s quite impressive what has happened here over the years.”
The three were members of the 1990 Luther Lions team that won the Luther Invitational Tournament, defeating the Balfour Redmen 83-82 in the final.
It was only the third time Luther had won its home tournament. In 68 years, the Lions have won the tournament only four times (1953, 1984, 1990, 2006).
“That speaks to the level of competition that comes in on this tournament as well — it’s not an easy thing to do,” Wingert said. “It’s a big deal.”
The team is being honoured at the 68th LIT, which started Thursday.
“We’ve read about them and just seeing the banner up on the wall of the gym whenever we’re in there and just knowing about the Luther teams that have won in the past is just something we remember as players,” said Josh Soifer, a Grade 12 point guard with the Lions. “It’s something that has really left a mark on LIT history and the Luther community.”
Wingert and Lightfoot now call Alberta home while Brandt moved to Vancouver. Brandt said it’s a cool feeling to be able to come back to the school and see his teammates once again.
“This was home for four years and this gym in particular was home for all of us in that graduating class for many mornings, many nights, many weekends, many lunch hours, many spares,” he said.
“I just have lots of memories of lots of good times and good friends and it’s cool that some of us are pretty close.”
Members of the 1990 Luther Lions team raise the LIT trophy. (Luther College High School/Submitted)
Brandt, along with Lightfoot, was a captain on the team that year.
“It was crazy in here,” Brandt said. “We were just talking about how you really couldn’t stand outside of the boundary because people were lined up right to it. People were stacked up on the stage, students galore all in Luther stuff.
“(It was) probably one of the crazier basketball games I’ve been involved in and was sort of a dream of many of ours to come out on the right side of that and end up winning the tournament as a result, so it’s one of my favourite memories.”
Wingert said he and Brandt actually met at the tournament when both were in Grade 7.
“Our moms just happened to be sitting next to each other and (the tournament) was actually fuelling our fire to actually come to Luther. (The players) were larger than life,” Wingert said.
Wingert said the team had beaten Balfour twice before in 1990, both close games.
Wingert recalled the team being down 15 points at one point in the second half of the LIT championship game. After mounting a comeback to take the lead, a Balfour player missed two free throws at the end of the game which sealed the victory for the Lions.
“When that final buzzer went off, it’s just excitement. You’re reflective on all the time and effort and your teammates and your coaches and all the students. It was unbelievable,” Wingert said.
“I remember running around and my parents were in the front row,” Brandt said. “Lots of guys we played with in prior years (were there). It’s almost like the whole Luther family went and won that.”
Unfortunately, it will at least be another year until the Lions raise the trophy again. This year’s team lost its first-round matchup to the Winnipeg Glenlawn Lions on Thursday.
Earlier in the afternoon, Lightfoot had some advice for all the players in the tournament.
“Just enjoy the moment and live in the moment,” he said. “When I look back on it, I see some of the guys that I played with back then and some of us are still really close and once I see the other guys, it will feel like yesterday, not 30 years. Enjoy the friendships, enjoy the camaraderie but most of all, just enjoy the moment.”
The tournament ends on Saturday.