Powder Valley quarterback Reece Dixon breaks loose for a run during the OSAA Class 1A state championship game on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. Powder Valley High School was adamant against a proposed nine-man football, with head coach Josh Cobb speaking out after the initial proposals at a December meeting.

NORTH POWDER — A beloved high school sports referee is having his memory honored through a local prep basketball tournament.

Calvin Hiatt, who was killed in a car accident on Nov. 3, will be remembered at the inaugural Calvin Hiatt Basketball Tournament in North Powder from Dec. 9-11. Twelve schools and 24 teams are competing in the three-day tournament, which is being held to raise money for Hiatt’s wife and five children.

“Calvin was very instrumental in athletics and dedicated quite a lot of time to athletics,” Powder Valley Athletic Director Brad Dunten said. “He’s going to be missed.”

Hiatt spent decades as a local referee in multiple sports and a coach for youth and college athletics. He served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Treasure Valley Community College and was a long-time youth sports coach. He was a graduate of Vale High School in 1997 and served a mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1998.

“We were really good friends,” Dunten said of the tournament’s namesake.

The coach and referee was well-known and respected around Eastern Oregon, which is reflected in the wide array of schools that traveled in for the weekend tournament. Union County schools competing at the Calvin Hiatt Tournament are Powder Valley, Imbler and Union.

According to Dunten, Hiatt helped put on a 32-team basketball tournament last summer in Baker City and North Powder. He was also big on recruiting officials, which is an asset that Eastern Oregon is often short on.

“His passion and dedication to local sports will be missed,” Dunten said.

Hiatt’s memory was recently honored during the 1A state football playoffs, when the Powder Valley Badgers displayed the initials “CH” on their helmets. The Badgers came just one touchdown shy of defeating Adrian in the state title game on Nov. 27 at Baker High School.

It is a busy slate of games at the Calvin Hiatt Tournament, as competitions will ensue simultaneously at the Powder Valley’s gymnasiums. During the final day of hoops on Dec. 11, Powder Valley and Union will face off starting at 4:30 p.m. Imbler will face Adrian, which begins at 1:30 p.m.

Admission to the Calvin Hiatt Tournament is $6 for adults and $4 for students. Proceeds will go to the Hiatt family.

“He made a positive impression on anybody he met,” Dunten said.