Presque Isle High School and Caribou High School co-hosted the 20th annual Tip-Off Tournament on Friday, November 24 and Saturday, November 25. This pre-season basketball tournament gives players the opportunity to get some minutes on the floor before the regular season begins and provides an opportunity for community members to get out of the winter weather and watch some basketball.

The tournament is a fundraiser for the Presque Isle Boosters club. Many companies around the county sponsor the tournament, allowing us to host other schools and have funds to provide hotel rooms for teams. 

The tournament has had a large impact on the community as it brings in large attendance each year. Mark White, PIHS Athletic Director, points to the impact the tournament has on the town itself. “We have great fans, I think people come for the atmosphere and the social event just as much as they want to cheer on the Wildcats,” he said. 

The tournament serves as a starting experience for young players to see new competition at the varsity level. “Going to the next level, you need to see that before the season actually starts,” Wyatt Young ’24 said. Newer members of the varsity team could see the jump up to a new level. “It gives young players a chance to get an idea of what kind of level of basketball they will be playing for the next few years of high school,” Kason Bua ’26 said.

Also, it allows teams to look at what needs to be done to become successful for the coming season. “I was really impressed with how the younger players played. They worked hard and showed that they can take some pressure,” Young said.