Call it a mixer, call it a pseudo-tournament, call it whatever you like, but by any stretch of the imagination, you have to call the 12th annual Basketball Academy games from Morgan State this past weekend a resounding success.

Not only were most of the boys and girls games close and competitive -- one of the most important components next to the classroom activities -- but the games mostly started on time, and in some cases, a tad early, and the proceedings moved along at a quick pace in order to keep as close to schedule as possible.

For next year, event officials, as well as county athletic officials, should endeavor to encourage boys and girls public schools from all of the area jurisdictions, not just Baltimore City, Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, to take part in the Academy. Carroll, Harford and Howard school teams, both boys and girls, could only benefit from playing top-notch competition in a tournament-like setting six weeks or so before the state tournament begins.

Oh, and a note to Morgan officials: Having a parking garage next to the Hill Field House is great, but not at the $10 charge some incurred for Saturday parking, a fee equal to the ticket price itself. Since a lot of the crowd was coming and going depending on when their particular team was playing, and many of the attendees were high school kids driving in to root for their school, a less steep parking charge might have been in order.