High school basketball: Tournaments, showcases and events to watch for the 2023-24 season
The high school basketball season is officially underway with major states like California, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas already tipping off and Florida ready to join the mix next week. Things get off to a hot start with November featuring over 20 top tournaments and events.
The City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., and Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., continue to carry the torch as the premier events while many others around the nation provide a look at elite talent for high school hoops fans.
Below is a guide to over 90 of the top events from coast to coast scheduled for the coming months.
November
14-18 — Winter Westside Tip-Off Classic (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Season-opening event in the Golden State gives an early look at top teams in the state like Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), Centennial (Corona), St. Bernard (Playa del Rey) and Windward (Los Angeles) among others.
16-18 — McDonald's Texas Invitational (Pasadena, Texas)
Top division of the early-season event features Class 6A state title contenders Brennan (San Antonio), North Crowley (Fort Worth), South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie), Atascocita (Humble), Dawson (Pearland), Allen and Summer Creek (Houston).
17-18 — The BattleZone (Corona, Calif.)
Corona Centennial, Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.), Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.), Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.), St. Bernard and Etiwanda (Calif.) are among the headliners participating in the two-day event.
17-18 — George Lynch Invitational (Charlotte, N.C.)
Anticipated in-state matchups include Myers Park (Charlotte) vs. Combine Academy (Lincolnton) and Christ School (Arden) vs. Chambers (Charlotte) at the Phenom Hoops event.
17-19 — Grind Session Denver (Aurora, Colo.)
Gind Session event.
18 — Hawks-Naismith Tipoff Classic (Atlanta, Ga.)
The one-day event features a pair of showdowns between top Peach State opponents as McEachern (Powder Springs) faces Kell (Marietta) and Wheeler (Marietta) takes on Newton (Covington).
18, 20-21 — Jared Cook Tip-Off Classic (Suwanee, Ga.)
A number of teams to watch from the Peach State will be participating in the event including Grayson (Loganville), Sandy Creek (Tyrone), Berkmar (Lilburn), Alexander (Douglasville) and Milton.
20-21 — Piney Woods Hoopfest (Lufkin, Texas)
Preseason top 100 squads Duncanville (Texas), Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) and Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) take the court for the inaugural two-day event.
20-22 — 5 For the Flight National Hoopfest (Utah)
Talent-filled early season event features headliners of Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah), Wheeler and American Fork (Utah).
21-25 — Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions (Washington, Ill.)
Metamora (Ill.), Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.), Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.), Hoover (Ala.), Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia, S.C.), Dale (Okla.), Alexander, Maumelle (Ark.) and Wauwatosa West (Wauwatosa, Wis.) are teams to watch at the 18th annual event.
24-25 — Holiday Hoopsgiving (Atlanta, Ga.)
The impressive showcase features 18 games over the course of two days with nationally-ranked teams Columbus (Miami, Fla.), McEachern, Grayson, Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) and Wasatch Academy highlighting the participants.
24-25 — Lighthouse Classic (Corinth, Miss.)
The 10th annual event features teams from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
24-25 — Thanksgiving Hoopfest (Duncanville, Texas)
The top Lone Star State showcase features a plethora of teams ranked in the top 100 as Montverde Academy, Link Academy, Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy (Dallas, Texas), Duncanville, Brennan, North Crowley, Cardinal Ritter (St. Louis, Mo.), Newman (New Orleans, La.), Millennium, Stony Point, South Grand Prairie and Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) take the court.
24-26 —Grind Session Orlando (Orlando, Fla.)
Gind session event.
25 — NorCal Tip-Off Classic (Dublin, Calif.)
Headlining matchups at the 16th annual event include Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) vs. Roosevelt, Centennial vs. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) and Branson (Ross, Calif.) vs. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.).
28-Dec. 2 — Ryse Williams Pac Shores Showcase (Redondo Beach, Calif.)
Top teams from the Golden State including Harvard-Westlake, St. John Bosco, Roosevelt, St. Bernard, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), Crean Lutheran (Irvine) and Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) are among the participants in the 72nd annual event.
29- Dec. 2 — Good Guys vs. Cancer Showcase (Kill Devil Hills, N.C.)
A top 10 matchup between John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) and Myers Park headlines the early-season event.
29-Dec. 2 — Hoophall West (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
A strong field features three matchups between nationally-ranked teams as AZ Compass Prep battles Wasatch Academy, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) takes on Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) and Harvard-Westlake faces Perry.
29-Dec. 2 — Marshall County Hoopfest (Benton, Ky.)
Notable programs including Link Academy, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), Oak Cliff Faith Family and Combine Academy are among those participating in the event.
30-Dec. 2 — Battle at the Rock (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Top teams from the Carolinas including Christ School and Gray Collegiate Academy are set to participate.
30-Dec. 2 — Sunshine Classic (Montverde, Fla.)
A highly-anticipated showdown between National Top 10 No. 1 Montverde Academy and MaxPreps Top 25 No. 1 Columbus headlines the event.
December
1-2 — Chicago Elite Classic (Chicago, Ill.)
Top teams from the Chicago area are joined by notable out-of-state programs including Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), Cardinal Ritter, Vashon and Pace Academy (Atlanta, Ga.).
1-2 — Red River Hoopfest (Texarkana, Texas)
The third annual event features a number of top teams from Texas and Arkansas including Duncanville and Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.).
2 — Tournament of Champions Classic (Marietta, Ga.)
Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 teams McEachern and Grayson compete in the event hosted by Wheeler.
1-3 — Grind Session Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Grind session event.
2 — All City Classic (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Teams from Philadelphia and New York City collide in the to be announced field.
2 — Sneakers For Santa Shootout (Brownsburg, Ind.)
Top teams from the Hoosier State including Ben Davis (Indianapolis), Lawrence North (Indianapolis), Cathedral (Indianapolis) and Warren Central (Indianapolis) compete in fourth annual shootout.
7-9 — Norm Stewart Classic (Columbia, Mo.)
This unique event gives us an early look at Missouri contenders with 48 consecutive hours of basketball over the course of this special three-day event.
7-9 — The Bash (Columbia, S.C.)
Headlining teams include Long Island Lutheran, Sunrise Christian Academy, Oak Hill Academy, Gray Collegiate Academy, Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.) and Lexington (S.C.).
8-10 — Gonzaga DC Classic (Washington, D.C.)
Eight-team tournament features a strong field including Gonzaga, Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.), Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) and Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.).
8-9 — Holiday Hoopfest (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Two-day event features a number of noteworthy teams including American Fork, Cardinal Ritter, Corner Canyon, Duncanville, Lehi (Utah), Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) and White (Dallas, Texas).
8-10 — Grind Session Phoenix (Goodyear, Ariz.)
Grind session event.
9 — Forum Tip-off Classic (Southport, Ind.)
Contests matching up Lawrence North vs. Fort Wayne Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Kokomo (Ind.) against Fishers (Ind.) highlight the one-day event.
9-10 — Kobe Bryant Play By Play Classic (Chester, Pa.)
Top participants include Richmond Heights (Ohio), Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.), Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.), Salesianum (Wilmington, Del.), St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.).
9-10 — National Hoopfest (Hyattsville, Md.)
Yet to be announced field is expected to feature MaxPreps Top 25 teams Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), Sidwell Friends, Myers Park and Bishop O'Connell.
15-16 — Grind Session Memphis (Eads, Tenn.)
Grind session event.
15-16 — Hoopfest in Paradise (Nassau, Bahamas)
Link Academy, Long Island Lutheran, Oak Cliff Faith Family, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) and Dynamic Prep (Irving, Texas) travel to the Bahamas for the event.
16 — Cleveland Play By Play Classic (Highland Hills, Ohio)
Top teams from the Buckeye State including Richmond Heights, St. Ignatius (Cleveland), Garfield Heights and St. Edward (Lakewood) are joined by out-of-state programs Imani Christian Academy (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Huntington Prep.
15-20 — Capitol City Classic (Salem, Ore.)
Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.), Northwood (Pittsboro, N.C.) and St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) join the top teams from the Beaver State in the 16-team bracket.
16-20 — The Hardwood Invite (Porland, Ore.)
Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) appears to be the team to beat in the 16-team field that includes teams consists mainly of teams from Washington and Oregon.
16-21 — Tarkanian Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.)
The field has yet to be announced for one of the top events of the holiday season annually.
18-20 — Grind Session St. Louis (Florissant, Mo.)
Grind session event.
18-22 — 'Iolani Classic (Honolulu, Hawaii)
St. John Bosco, Oak Ridge, DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), Master's Academy (Oviedo, Fla.), Vashon and Pace Academy join the top teams from Hawaii in the 16-team tournament field.
18-23 — City of Palms Classic (Fort Myers, Fla.)
Preseason ranked teams Montverde Academy, Columbus, Link Academy, Long Island Lutheran, Paul VI, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), McEachern, Richmond Heights, Archbishop Stepinac and North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) headline the 16-team Traditional bracket. Preseason top 100 teams Buckhorn (Ky.), Lexington, Lyon County compete in the four-team Signature Series field.
19-20 — City of Jasper Classic (Jasper, Ala.)
Preseason top 100 programs Myers Park and Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) join top teams from the Yellowhammer State.
19-23 — King of the Bluegrass (Fairdale, Ky.)
In its 42nd year, the 16-team tournament features De La Salle (Chicago, Ill.) and Central (Little Rock, Ark.) joining the top teams from Kentucky.
21-23 — Phenom Holiday Classic (Concord, N.C.)
A showdown between top 100 preseason teams Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) and Chambers headlines the three-day event.
26-29 — Hoophall East (Lewes, Del.)
Headlining teams headed to Delaware prior to the New Year include Paul VI, Cardinal Ritter, Bullis (Potomac, Md.), Christ the King, Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), Moravian Prep (Hudson, N.C.) and Bella Vista Prep (Scottsdale, Ariz.) among others.
26-30 — Arby's Classic (Bristol, Tenn.)
Bracket and pairings for the 40th annual event are set to be announced Nov. 19.
26-30 — The Classic at Damien (La Verne, Calif.)
Over 125 teams are dispersed across eight divisions of 16 teams. St. John Bosco, Sunnyslope, Salesian, Roosevelt, Centennial, American Fork and Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) are among the top teams in the Platinum Division bracket.
26-30 — Governors Challenge (Salisbury, Md.)
One of the largest holiday tournaments in the country features over 120 teams at the Wicomico Civic Center and surrounding high schools.
26-30 — Jack Tosh Holiday Classic (Elmhurst, Ill.)
The 32-team tournament field is headlined by MaxPreps Top 25 program Metamora.
26-30 — Les Schwab Invitational (Hillsboro, Ore.)
Out-of-state schools Columbus, Harvard-Westlake, Perry and Mt. Spokane (Mead, Wash.) join the top teams from the Beaver State in the 27th annual tournament field.
27-29 — King Cotton Classic (Pine Bluff, Ark.)
An impressive field includes preseason top 100 teams Gonzaga, Duncanville, Archbishop Wood, Little Rock Christian Academy, Sandy Creek and Westminster Academy.
27-30 — Beach Ball Classic (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
Traditional bracket includes preseason top 100 teams Bishop O'Connell, Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.), North Crowley and Lexington, while Prep Bracket is headlined by Huntington Prep and Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, N.C.).
27-30 — Chick-Fil-A Classic (Lexington, S.C.)
Event features two 8-team brackets with John Marshall, Grayson, Gray Collegiate and St. John's (Washington, D.C.) expected to headline American Division and Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), Dream City Christian, Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) and DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) expected in the National Division.
27-30 — The Holiday Classic (San Diego, Calif.)
Field has yet to be announced for the holiday event.
27-30 — Kingdom of the Sun (Ocala, Fla.)
Teams from New York, Pennsylvania and New York join Sunshine State squads in the 16-team field.
28-30 — Hoop City Classic (Mitchell, S.D.)
Intriguing Midwest event features the top teams from the Dakotas along with teams from Minnesota, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
29-30 — Grind Session Albuquerque (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Grind Session event.
29-30 — Jordan Brand Holiday Classic (New York, N.Y.)
Field has yet to be announced.
January
5-6 — Burger King Classic (Erie, Pa.)
Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 program Lincoln Park Performing Arts headlines the four-team tournament field.
5-7 — Grind Session Louisville (Louisville, Ky.)
Grind Session event.
6 — Highland Shootout (Highland, Ill.)
Top matchups include Richwoods (Peoria, Ill.) vs. Vashon, Great Crossing vs. Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) and Metamora vs. Thornton (Harvey, Ill.).
7 — Cleveland Play By Play Classic (University Heights, Ohio)
Numerous top contenders for the state title in the Buckeye State compete in the mid-season event including Richmond Heights, St. Ignatius, Centerville, Garfield Heights, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron) and Lutheran East (Cleveland Heights) among others.
9 — Miami Play By Play Classic (Dade County, Fla.)
One-game event features a showdown between top-ranked prospects in the Class of 2025 as Darryn Peterson and Huntington Prep take on Cameron Boozer and Columbus.
11-13 — Bass Pro Tournament of Champions (Springfield, Mo.)
Out-of-state programs Paul VI, McEachern, St. John Bosco, Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) and Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) join top teams from the Show-Me State in the eight-team bracket.
11-15 — Spalding Hoophall Classic (Springfield, Mass.)
Loaded five-day event is the premier showcase in high school basketball, featuring five showdowns between teams ranked in the top five of the preseason rankings with Columbus facing Long Island Lutheran, Montverde Academy taking on Prolific Prep, Paul VI battling Columbus and Link Academy matching up with IMG Academy.
12-14 — Grind Session Daytona (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Grind Session event.
12-15 — Flyin' to the Hoop Invitational (Dayton, Ohio)
Notable out-of-state teams Oak Ridge, Oak Cliff Faith Family, Newman, Westminster Academy and Combine Academy join top Ohio teams in the 21st annual field.
13-15 — MLK Classic (Bowie, Md.)
Field is yet to be announced.
15 — MLK Classic (Concord, Calif.)
Battle between top contenders to represent NorCal in the Open Division state title game features Salesian taking on Archbishop Riordan in the 26th annual event.
19-20 — Ascender Classic (Bradenton, Fla.)
IMG Academy plays host to the yet to be announced field.
19-20 — Quincy Shootout (Quincy, Ill.)
List of committed teams includes Link Academy, Oak Cliff Faith Family, Wasatch Academy, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.), Millard North (Omaha, Neb.), Vashon, Chaminade, Huntington Prep, Curie (Chicago, Ill.), Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) and The Burlington School (Burlington, N.C.) among others.
20 — Jared Sullinger Play By Play Classic (Reynoldsburg, Ohio)
Showdown between Garfield Heights and Reynoldsburg (Ohio) highlights six matchups at the one-day event.
20 — Rolling Hills Prep State Preview Classic (Ontario, Calif.)
A number of Golden State contenders are competing in the event including Mater Dei, Roosevelt, Notre Dame, Campbell Hall, Crean Lutheran, Rancho Cucamonga, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy (Downey) and Etiwanda among others.
20-21 — Crush in the Valley (San Pablo, Calif.)
Grind Session event.
21 — Nike Explosion (Milton, Ga.)
Numerous Peach State contenders are expected to compete in the to be announced field.
21 — Maggie Lucas Play By Play Classic (Philaelphia, Pa.)
Numerous teams from the Philadelphia area are competing in the event including Archbishop Wood, Imhotep Charter, West Catholic (Philadelphia) and Archbishop Carroll (Radnor) among others.
25-27 — Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament (Montverde, Fla.)
Montverde Academy hosts Prolific Prep, Oak Ridge, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), Riviera Prep, The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.), Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Imani Christian Academy in the loaded eight-team tournament field.
26-27 — Nike Extravaganza (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Mater Dei hosts standout teams from the West Coast with Harvard-Westlake, Centennial, Roosevelt, Notre Dame, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), Campbell Hall, JSerra Catholic and Lynwood (Calif.) among the participants.
February
1-4 — Metro Classic Showcase (Union, N.J.)
Field is yet to be announced for anticipated late-season showcase.
3 — A Very Melo Classic (Towson, Md.)
Long Island Lutheran and Sidwell Friends are among the expected participants in the to be announced field.
3 — Court XIV Classic (Cornelius, N.C.)
Field is yet to be announced.
3-4 — Puerto Rico Showcase (San Jose, Puerto Rico)
Grind session event.
9-10 — Duel in the Desert (Glendale, Ariz.)
Grind Session event.
10 — Heartland Hoops Classic (Grand Island, Neb.)
Local power Bellevue West takes on Sunrise Christian Academy in the headlining matchup of the late-season event.
10 — Morgan Wootten Showcase (Arlington, Va.)
Bishop O'Connell hosts the to-be-announced field.
15-16 — Air Capital Hoopfest (Wichita, Kan.)
Link Academy, Wasatch Academy, Sunrise Christian Academy and Veritas Academy (Calif.) are the participants in the two-day event.
17 — Canton Play By Play Classic (Canton, Ohio)
Final Play By Play Classic event of the 25th anniversary season features two games with Richmond Heights facing Huntington Prep and Buchtel (Akron, Ohio) taking on Harvest Prep (Canal Winchester, Ohio).
23-25 — Crush in the Valley 2 (Napa, Calif.)
Grind Session event.
29- March 2 — Pete Hollis Showcase (Greenville, S.C.)
Top-ranked Montverde Academy is expected among the participants in the to-be-announced field.