Many high school basketball fans hoped to see the Bellaire and Yates basketball teams — both of which were ranked No. 1 in the state in their respective classes for the vast majority of the season — meet in a game, but it never transpired.
Fans will get that opportunity on Wednesday.
The Cardinals and Lions will meet in a charity basketball game to benefit the family of Bellaire senior Tobi Oyedeji, who died on Sunday from injuries resulting from a car crash.
The game will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Houston ISD’s Delmar Fieldhouse at 2020 Mangum Rd. Because the game falls outside of the University Interscholastic League calendar, head coaches Bruce Glover and Greg Wise can’t serve as coaches for the game and only graduating seniors from each team will participate.
All proceeds will go to a memorial fund set up in Oyedeji’s name, the “Tobi Oyedeji Bellaire Class of 2010 Memorial Fund.” The fund is set up at Amegy Bank and donations can be made at any Amegy Bank location.
The festivities on Wednesday will include a slam-dunk contest and a 3-point shooting contest. Tickets will be $5.
Yates (34-0) won its second consecutive Class 4A state championship this season and finished ranked No. 1 in the nation in all five national high school basketball polls. They also set several national records and won 58 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Bellaire (35-2) won its sixth consecutive district championship and advanced to the Class 5A Region III finals where they lost to eventual 5A state champion Bush. The Cardinals were ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 5A heading into the game. Bush finished the season ranked No. 1 while the Cardinals finished at No. 5.
Oyedeji, 17, played center for the Cardinals and had signed to play basketball at Texas A&M. He was an All-Greater Houston first-team selection and the District 20-5A most valuable player this season.
