SDSU’s ‘Classic’ to End : Basketball: Last edition of men’s tournament will be played this December.

The last gasp of San Diego State’s annual December men’s basketball tournament may be more memorable for its off-court drama than what will happen on the court.

Next season’s Texaco Star Classic, the 17th consecutive SDSU holiday tournament, will be the last, said John Wadas, SDSU associate athletic director in charge of basketball.

Before getting sentimental, though, SDSU has one task to perform: To make sure there are four teams in this year’s tournament. A Texas representative said Monday the Longhorns would not play in the 1992 Texaco Star Classic.

But according to Wadas, the Aztecs have a signed contract from Texas.

“If they choose to bow out, it’s going to cost them a good amount of money,” Wadas said. “We’re going to try to hold them to their contract.”

Dave Saba, Texas assistant sports information director in charge of basketball, said the Longhorns have instead opted to play in a tournament in Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 4-5, and in a tournament in Oklahoma City on Dec. 29-30.

“We couldn’t handle three tournaments on our schedule because we needed to add home games,” Saba said.

The tournament once boasted marquee names and teams. The tournament, which began in 1976, has featured Isiah Thomas, Mark Aguirre, Terry Teagle and Terry Cummings. Coaches in the tournament included Indiana’s Bobby Knight, Georgetown’s John Thompson, DePaul’s Ray Meyer and Michigan State’s Jud Heathcote.

But the quality of teams has declined in recent years, as well as attendance. The Aztecs have decided enough is enough.

Last year’s tournament drew only 4,672 fans over a two-night period. Wadas said SDSU lost $4,500.

“We just decided that with (Texaco’s) funds and our energy, we may be better doing (something else),” Wadas said. “It’s not a good feeling, but right now, it’s an economically based decision.”

Wadas stressed that it is a mutual decision, and Bill Hicks, Texaco area manager, said they had discussed ending the tournament but was unaware of the decision.

“Well, this is news to me,” Hicks said. “I know where (Wadas) is coming from. Whether they want to work to make ends meet, it’s up to them. We weren’t real happy with last year’s tournament.”

Hicks said the tournament’s demise in no way signals an end to the Texaco-SDSU relationship. Texaco, sponsor of the tournament since the late 1980s, is a major corporate sponsor of SDSU football and basketball.

“If the event generated a lot of money or enthusiasm, it would perpetuate itself,” Wadas said. “In this regard, it is not.

“Putting on a classic is very difficult. There’s a lot of work involved. You want to make sure it warrants the expense. The attendance has not been good, and it is difficult to make ends meet.”

The loss of Texas this year would certainly not help attendance. Wadas said he has spoken with DeLoss Dodds, Texas athletic director, about the matter because he had heard that the Southwestern Conference was concerned with Texas’ appearance in the tournament along with Azusa Pacific. Azusa Pacific, an NAIA school, was invited along with Washington State.

“Their conference is concerned with power ratings for the NCAA tournament,” Wadas said.

Texas is scheduled to open the Dec. 18-19 tournament with Washington State and SDSU is to play Azusa Pacific.

“They have a certain time frame in which to notify us,” Wadas said. “We have received no written notification.”

In other tournament news, the Aztecs have decided not to play in UC Irvine’s Freedom Bowl tournament in December. Instead, the Aztecs will play Cal Poly Pomona (Dec. 4) and at Arizona State (Dec. 8).