LAHAINA, Hawaii -- The Lahaina Civic Center sits on a hill above Honoapiilani Highway in western Maui, barely visible among the tropical trees and police station.The outside of the building is nondescript even up close, looking more like a school auditorium than a basketball arena. Same thing on the inside, with its upstairs, YMCA-style lockers and cage-like windows overlooking the court.Yet every November, the Lahaina Civic Center transforms into something else: one of college basketballs most raucous venues.Its like a high school gym being there, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said Sunday, the eve of the Maui Invitational. The noise is loud, people are close to you. I think its neat. This time of year you want to play in front of an excited crowd, an arena where everything is close. Theres just so much you can gain from an experience like this and in a building like that. Theres really nothing like it.The Maui Invitational has become the top in-season tournament on the college basketball schedule, annually luring some of the best teams from across the country to the second-largest island in the Hawaiian chain.This years eight-team field has combined for 14 national championships and 40 Final Fours, and three teams are ranked in the top 10 of The Associated Press poll : No. 4 Oregon, No. 5 North Carolina and No. 9 Wisconsin.The three-day tournament, which starts Monday, also includes Tennessee, Oklahoma State, UConn, Georgetown and host Chaminade.At the center of this basketball-topia is the 2,400-seat Lahaina Civic Center.Built in 1972, the building is used as a public civic center 50 weeks out of the year, hosting high school basketball leagues, volleyball games, karate practices and community events.The two weeks of the Maui Invitational brings some changes to the civic center -- signs and banners, TV lights, cushioned chairs in front of the bleachers -- but its still nowhere near matching the massive, modern arenas found across the rest of college basketball. It didnt even have air conditioning until the 2005 tournament -- after North Carolina coach Roy Williams complained about condensation on the floor.Its hard to adapt an old building with such character into a 2016 basketball arena that everyones used to, said Mark Starsiak, director of events for KemperLesnik, which operates the Maui Invitational.I tell teams every year: `Its the most unique experience youll have walking from the locker room all season. If you have any questions, Ill try to answer them.Calling the Lahaina Civic Center quirky is like saying basketball players are tall.The court, outside of the massive Maui Invitational logo at midcourt, is like a high school hardwood, with volleyball court and vertical basketball lines crisscrossing the court.The seats are like something out of Hoosiers, old bleachers that are practically on top of the court and only go up a dozen-or-so rows.The locker rooms are unlike anything in college basketball.Those are on the second floor, up a narrow stairwell that leads to a common area with taekwondo and wrestling lines on the floor, with nothing but a black curtain separating the teams. The common room also has cage-like windows that overlook the floor, though the view has been obscured a bit with the massive Hawaiian-themed banner at the west side of the arena.The lockers are the old, metal bring-your-own variety, with four concrete chairs, a single whiteboard and showers that dont always work.Because of the small confines, teams waiting for the next game have to set up in the common area and often can be seen at the bottom of the stairwells as the previous game is about to end.Leave your strategy for the hotel because your opponent is right through there, Starsiak said, pointing at the black curtain. Anything you say can and will be used against you on the court.With all the pampering teams and players usually get, it might seem like the civic centers inconveniences would be a drawback.Instead, the quirkiness and quaintness adds to the charm of the building and the tournament, often making the players feel like theyre back in high school.And because of the venues size, the noise and atmosphere inside the Lahaina Civic Center is like nothing else in college basketball.The environments great, Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. The fans are right on top of you, you feel the emotion of the fans the whole time. Much like this entire tournament, the game is a unique experience.---For more AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org Cheap Air Jordan 13 Sale . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Wholesale Air Jordan 13 . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. http://www.airjordan13discount.com/ . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Cheap Air Jordan 13 Wholesale . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Air Jordan 13 Clearance . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. RIO DE JANEIRO -- With a kiss of the ball and an unforgettable kick, Brazils biggest soccer star gave the Olympic host its biggest moment of the games.Brazil won its first Olympic gold medal in soccer Saturday with a dramatic penalty kick by Neymar to defeat Germany, sending the nation into a frenzy after a 1-1 (5-4 shootout) victory.Before the decisive shot, Neymar picked up the ball and kissed it before placing it on the penalty spot. With a stutter step and a smooth kick, he calmly sent a shot into the top corner and fell to his knees before being mobbed by his teammates.Thats it, Neymar said. We made history.It was a victory that was about more than soccer for a nation that desperately needed something to celebrate. Brazil had been battered by recession, political scandal, health scares over polluted water and the Zika virus and questions over whether it could pull off hosting the Olympics.All the troubles were forgotten when Neymars kick sailed into the net.Obviously this tournament had a special meaning for Brazil, Neymar said. This is one of the happiest things that have happened to me.Jubilant celebrations broke out around Rio, reminiscent of parties following the five World Cup championships won by this soccer-mad nation. Fireworks burst over the stadium, car horns blared and fans sang and tossed beer into the air.As the team stood atop the medal podium, gold draped around their necks, tears streamed down the faces of fans as all of Maracana Stadium joined in belting out the national anthem.The victory comes two years after an embarrassing 7-1 home loss to Germanys senior team in the World Cup semifinals. Brazil was also coming off a demoralizing elimination in the group stage of this years Copa America and struggled in early group play in the Olympics.Germany, playing with a young team that looked nothing like the World Cup-winning squad, made it hard for Brazil, hitting the crossbar three times in the first half. Neymar put Brazil ahead 1-0 with a superb free kick in the 26th minute -- and Usain Bolt celebrated along with the raucous crowd. Neymar paid tribute to the fastest man in the world by flashing the Jamaican nine-time gold medalists To the World pose on the pitch.Germany tied it with a goal in the 59th minute by captain Maximilian Meyer, and neither team scored again the rest of regulation and two extra periods of play.After the teams traded four tense goals in the shootout -- with both sides lining up arm in arm for each attempt, barely able to watch -- BBrazilian goalkeeper Weverton dove to his left to stop Nils Petersens shot.dddddddddddd.The stop set the stage for Neymar, as if scripted.The greatest soccer player of this generation of Brazils stars, Neymar calmly seized this moment.I dont have words to say anything, Neymar said, sobbing. I cant describe my feelings right now. I just want to thank my teammates, my friends and my family, who have been by my side during the most difficult moments. It wasnt easy. I dont know what else to say, Im just really happy.After the game, Neymar announced that he didnt want to be the teams captain anymore, saying it was an honor but the coach could pick someone else going forward. He did not elaborate.The mens soccer tournament attracted most of the attention of Brazilian fans at the Olympics. The Brazilian football federation took the Olympic tournament as seriously as ever, bringing Neymar and many talented youngsters that are expected to be in the main squad in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Countries in Olympic competitions field their under-23 squad, which are different than the older and more experienced national teams that compete at the World Cup.Brazil had lost three Olympic finals, including four years ago in London, when it was upset by Mexico 2-1 with a team that also included Neymar and other talented players. Brazil won the bronze two times.Beloved nation, the gold is ours, Weverton said, still holding on to the game ball. This ball is mine, its part of history. Will all due respect to everybody who has a beautiful history and tried for a long time, God put this generation in this position to make history and we did.Brazil arrived as the main title-favorite but struggled in the beginning, being held to scoreless draws against South Africa and Iraq and becoming in danger of failing to advance past the group stage.This restores our self-esteem, Brazil coach Rogerio Micale said. We see that not all was lost, our football is still alive. There are some things that need to be fixed, but today we were able to make our people happy.The entire nation came to a standstill as people gathered to watch the game, erupting in cheers as Neymar clinched the gold.Now the respect is back, said fan Guilherme Junior. Now we can aim high again.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '