Healdsburg High School students are well aware that this is REIBT Weekend—when both of the school’s gyms are the scene of boys and girls basketball games among teams from Humboldt, Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties. Both tournament brackets have been finalized, and some good basketball is underway already by the time we go to press. First games are played Wednesday this week, with the finals on Saturday.
A total of 16 teams are participating, eight in both girls and boys tournaments. “It is a challenge securing teams,” said Lance Munselle, who has worked on REIBT for years. “Typically, a lot of the high school sports teams play a few non-league games early in the season, whether it’s volleyball or basketball or even baseball.” Among those early meets are tournaments, and most basketball tournaments are scheduled for December, including the McMillan tournament in neighboring Cloverdale.
But at 76 years, the REIBT, the Redwood Empire Invitational Basketball Tournament, is the oldest by far. The idea for REIBT, a regional basketball tournament to fill the enthusiasm gap between the football and baseball seasons, is attributed to Art McCaffrey, whose impact on local sports is recognized by the playing field at Rec Park that bears his name. Though he proposed the tournament in 1948, it wasn’t until December 1949 that the first one was held—making this year, 2025, the 76th annual Redwood Empire Invitational Basketball Tournament.
Originally only a boys team tournament, girls were added in 1984—making this the 41st anniversary of the oldest boys and girls basketball tourney in the state.
“This really is one of the biggest weeks of the year on campus,” Munselle said. “Whether you’re a basketball player or not, the kids love it.” The highlight for many students will be the REIBT rally on Friday, where each class performs a “Rabbit Dance” (based on a playful pronunciation of the tournament’s name) among other competitions. This year’s student rally will be Friday, from 11:40am to 12:25pm at Smith Robinson Gym. “It’s a special week on campus,” Munselle said.
It’s difficult if not impossible to pick favorites for the tournaments this year; none of the 16 teams has an undefeated record after the past couple of weeks of preseason play. But local sports fans have an opportunity to see many competitive games over the four-day long tournament.
In the girls bracket, the Wednesday game sees Justin-Siena (with a record of 1-1 as of Dec. 9) play Novato (2-4) at 7pm in the smaller Frost Gym (the former East Gym). The next night the girls’ action moves to the larger Smith Robinson gym with Fortuna (4-1) playing Ukiah (3-2) at 5pm; followed by McKinleyville (3-2) playing Tamalpais (1-2) at 6:30pm; and Healdsburg (3-4) playing Middletown (3-1) at 8pm.
The boys bracket is just as action-packed, with two games at Smith Robinson on Wednesday, including Mendocino (4-2) vs. Middletown (1-3) at 6:30pm, and Kelseyville (0-2) playing Healdsburg (4-2) at 8pm. Thursday’s games find Piner (1-0) against Marin Academy (3-2) at 6pm, followed by Willits (3-4) against Ukiah (3-3) at 7:30pm, both of these games at Frost Gym.
The following nights see all teams advancing with matches against other teams, winners or losers, toward the championship games. Boys title game is Saturday at 8pm in Smith Robinson; girls is 6:30pm the same night in the same venue.
“It’s just such a special thing for those players,” Munselle said. “They won’t remember individual games or other tournaments, but all of the Healdsburg High School players, they will remember the REIBT basketball tournament.”
Tickets are available online or at the door: $12 adults, $7 students, all-tournament pass is $24 (plus fees), online at tinyurl.com/bdftwzcf.
