4 Tips for the 2012 EA Sports Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament

4 Tips for the 2012 EA Sports Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament

EASports Maui Invitational logo.After a busy week on Maui catering weddings and a keiki birthday party, I remembered the Maui Invitational basketball tournament is already underway with mainland pre-games beginning this weekend and the regional tournament next weekend. With the expanded tournament format that began last year, the games played on the mainland give us a preview of the teams competing on Maui when they play at least one game leading up to their Lahaina Civic Center visit.

Before the Maui Invitational begins play in West Maui on the 19th, we get to watch 11 mainland games featuring seven of the teams headed to Maui to compete against four teams (Colgate, Elon, Coppin State and Florida Atlantic) making their first appearance in the EA Sports Maui Invitational Tournament. The action began Friday, Nov 9th with Colgate losing to Illinois (75 to 55) and Butler beating Elon (75-49) yesterday. Later today, on Sunday Nov 11, Colgate plays Maui bound team Marquette and the game will be broadcast on ESPNU. As I write, I’m keeping up with the action on ESPNU as the Tar Heels host Florida Atlantic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. On Monday, Florida State plays Texas and on Tuesday, Florida Atlantic plays Maui attendee Mississippi State. Next weekend, on the 17th and 18th, Elon North Carolina hosts the regional tournament portion of the 2012 EA Sport Maui Invitational Tournament where Colgate faces Elon and Coppin State tips off against Florida Atlantic.College basketball, the 2012 Maui Invitational Tournament Bracket.

This year, I’ll be watching to see if the Tar Heels can win a third national championship after beginning their most recent championship seasons with championships at the Maui Invitational. To repeat the feat, Coach Roy Williams and North Carolina have to find a successful way to quickly nurture four players to step into key starting roles after losing last season’s starting four to the NBA. USC will attempt to blend a cast of transfers with injury returnees while Mississippi State and Illinois are both beginning their seasons with new leadership at head coach. If not in the Maui Invitational Final, then along the way we may get to see the big time college basketball matchup between North Carolina play Texas.

4 Tips for the 2012 EA Sports Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament:

  1. Get familiar with the competition by watching the mainland games described above. Keep with the prelimary games using the EA Sports Maui Invitational Tournament broadcast schedule.
  2. If you are driving to the games at the Lahaina Civic Center, arrive early to ensure you have plenty of time to park your car. Lahaina Civic Center offers plenty of parking spaces for the tournament, but traffic getting in and out can be a little tedious. If you arrive early or want to avoid the traffic rush, enjoy relaxing in the food court before or after the game. Big screen televisions let you keep up with the games and live entertainment is featured throughout each day of the tournament. Alternatively, skip the parking and use public transportation to get the civic center in Lahaina. If you  are travelling to Maui with an organized tour or booster club, your transportation to and from the game is likely included. The Lahaina Civic is approximately 15 minutes from the Kaanapali Resort in West Maui.
  3. Have a great vacation on Maui and leave time to explore the beaches, snorkel and dine at the great Maui restaurants after the games are finished. Go to Hana. Enjoy a scenic picnic along the way and pick up a Hana Box lunch.
  4. Enjoy my great food in the stadium club during the tournament. Or, stop by my Kaanapali restaurant for affordable family dining on Maui! Use this map to my restaurant in Kaanapali. Visit us on FourSquare or Google Places for money saving discounts to use at CJ’s Deli & Diner.

Maui Chef CJ’s Final Game Matchup Prediction

Comfort Zone Maui Catering for the Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament.My pick for matchup playing in final game of the 2012 Maui Invitational Tourmament: North Carolina and Butler. Use the comments section to share if you were surprised I didn’t pick Marquette, Texas or the Illini to play in the championship game of the 2012 Maui Invitational on Weds Nov 21st! You’ll have to wait till the teams playing off island games are completed before I’ll pick my winner for the on island winner in Lahaina!

If you are regular attendee to the Maui Invitational, you’ll be happy to know CJ’s Deli Diner and the Comfort Zone Maui Catering team will be back catering the event serving the Stadium Club and ESPN crews. We also supply sandwiches and box lunches for organizers and volunteers.

Keep up with the latest Maui Invitational Tournament news on Twitter with @easportsmauiinv and the EA Sports Maui Invitational tournament website. Thanks for the great effort the tournament’s PR team at Kemper Lesnik does to promote Maui while creating producing this annual event on Maui event.

Will you be visiting Maui for the 2012 Maui Invitational Basketball Tournament? Plan a beach barbecue for you and your basketball fans before or after the tournament:

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We'll help you every step of the way, from finding a Maui wedding venue or event location and matching event and wedding service providers to preparing and serving our catered dishes at your Maui event or Maui wedding reception.

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CJ’s Kaanapali Diner Review

My daughter and I visited Maui a couple of weeks ago and came to your restaurant 3 times. I just wanted to thank you for your willingness to meet our gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free requirements. We loved being able to eat out safely and wish we had a CJ’s at home! I just wrote you a stellar review on Trip Advisor. Hope you have a wonderful rest of the summer!

Kelley MacCabe
CJ’s Maui Restaurant Review

Wonderful for a Sunday Brunch since you can order breakfast until 11:00am! Had a ‘custom’ 3 ingredient omelette (I chose mushrooms, feta and spinach) with nicely crunchy on the outside and soft inside home potatoes, yummy. Hubby had the pancakes with fresh fruit! These are light fluffy slightly sweet batter pancakes, not those heavy bland ones (OK I admit it, I had to have a few bites of his breakfast…) Service was fast and friendly :0). The menu is EXTENSIVE, we live here and love it!

Kathy, Lahaina, Maui
CJ’s Deli and Diner Maui Restaurant Review

Fact: CJ’s Maui onion soup will melt your face off it’s so good. Best I’ve ever had. It gets 20 stars.
Alas, it’s not on the menu every day… But when my fiancee and I went this past summer and were lucky to meet Chef CJ in person and mentioned that we had been thinking about the onion soup since the last time we visited two years earlier, he was kind enough to put it on the next day’s menu. We went back the following day and ordered it, and it was amazing, just as we had remembered. Another fact: the onion soup at CJ’s is better than the onion soup at Mama’s Fish House (and at like 1/4th of the price). Really. It’s that good. Part of me wants to reverse engineer CJ’s onion soup recipe, quit my job, and make millions selling onion soup to the mainland masses! (or: CJ, wanna make a deal?)
I think that the loco moco gravy is made from the same goodness. So that’s great too. The potato salad is tasty as well.
The to-go lunch plate is respectable.

Jonny S, San Diego, CA
Maui Chef CJ Prepares Mushroom Soup for Kaanapali Restaurant Guest

On a previous visit to Maui, I had the most delicious mushroom soup at CJ’s Deli and Diner in Kaanapali. When I arrived in Maui this week, I emailed the restaurant and asked what day they might have the soup. The owner and chef, Christian Jorgensen (CJ), promptly replied even though he was on vacation in Vegas. He gave me a number to call to check on the soup of the day. Then when he returned to Maui on Friday, he emailed me to let me know he would have the soup for me on Saturday. When I got there, he was so friendly and the soup was even more scrumptious than I had remembered. I really appreciated how valued he made me feel as a customer.

Linda D.
CJs Maui Restaurant Customer

Good Morning, My wife and I spent last week in Maui. Your early bird special was the best. After we found you, we ate breakfast there every morning. You had two regular coffees that we just loved.

James T Wilson Jr
Maui Restaurant Customer

The best burger I ever had! Great Service! Fantastic Food!! Simply Awesome.

Pat Janostin, Champlin MN
Kaanapali Restaurant Customer Comment

Thanks for all the Good Food. Best we have ad since we hit the island 5 days ago!

Jeff and Myra V., Ontario, Ohio

CJ’s Maui Restaurant Customer Comments on CJ’s Private Luau in her Blog

Aloha, Just wanted to let you know that this post was up last Friday and it will be included (linked) with all of our Hawaii properties. Thank you both for excellent service. You made our trip to Maui very memorable! Feel free to comment on the post. It’s always good to have additional information and your input.

https://www.ciaobambino.com/ciaobambinoblog/index.php/2010/01/photo-friday-special-activities-in-maui/

Nancy Solomon, Travel Writer
CJ’s Maui Restaurant Customer Comment

Aloha, We were in to see you many times during our stay last month in Ka’anapali, couple of things for you:
Need to order some more of your CJ’s roasted Kona Coffee. I see it’s not yet on your website, only the Maui Coffee Co. stuff. We ran out last weekend and are having withdrawls, please help!! Need 2 bags urgently!!
Secondly, your claim about having the best corned beef hash on the island. I think you’ve understated this because it’s the best I’ve had any where in the world! And that covers a lot of ground as I’ve been to every continent multiple times. Just the best anywhere, period!! Don’t suppose you would have that for delivery to Indiana would you? Maybe by the pound(s)?
Great people and even better food, Mahalo CJ’s. Seriously though, please let me know about that coffee. How do we get some ordered and shipped to Indiana?

Bill Clark, Valparaiso, In.
CJ’s Maui Restaurant Customer Comment

​CJ’s Deli & Diner Rocks! Been here several times while visiting Maui – each time we tried different meals and each time we LOVED the food, service and atmosphere. Only suggestion would be to provide regular dinner napkins along with this paper type – because we’re messy!

Aloha and Mahalo from Detroit