The National Invitational Tournament is being held in two different locations this year: Single-school is in Glendale, Colo., and High School Club is at Salt Lake City, Utah. Both occur May 17-19 (and TRB is having panic attacks about which event to attend!).
For the single schools, the move farther west has seen east coast teams like Orchard Park, N.Y., and Moon Area, Pa., back out of the NIT, but the biggest surprise comes in the shape of Kahuku, the reigning single-school NIT champion. The Hawaiian team is competing at the High School Club NIT in Salt Lake City because that’s where the boy’s NIT is being held, and the program can pool resources and finances for one trip. Kahuku won’t defend its championship but does inject an interesting element into the HS Club NIT.
Kahuku head coach Nusi Tukuafu did indicate, however, that this alignment was for 2019 and placed the convenience of a joint trip at the center of the decision. The team will have a dry run in mid-March when the Raiders tour Salt Lake City and play reigning HS Club NIT champion United.