Weekend Watch: White Station, Oak Hill among nationally-ranked powers headed to Hardaway Hoopfest

By Jason Hickman Jan 23, 2014, 8:00pm

Events in Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia and New York on the radar.

Jahlil Okafor and Whitney Young beat Oak Hill Academy on Monday at the Spalding Hoophall Classic. Both teams will be in action this weekend at the Penny Hardaway National Hoopfest.
Jahlil Okafor and Whitney Young beat Oak Hill Academy on Monday at the Spalding Hoophall Classic. Both teams will be in action this weekend at the Penny Hardaway National Hoopfest.
Photo by Mike Braca
It's tough being the encore to a weekend of high school basketball that included the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions and Spalding Hoophall Classic.

But several events around the country should fill the void for fans clamoring to see some of the nation's top teams and players.

Here's a look at what we will have an eye on this weekend:

Penny Hardaway National Hoopfest
Friday and Saturday at Dyer County, Southwind and Houston high schools
Storylines: See complete schedule here. No. 11 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and No. 19 Whitney Young (Chicago) will be in action along with rankings hopefuls like Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.), Simeon (Chicago), St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) and Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.). Despite all the out-of-state talent, it may be a game between local schools that is the headliner. No. 5 White Station (Memphis) will face Hamilton (Memphis) and the talented brother duo of K.J. and Dedric Lawson.

Hilton Invitational
Saturday at Norcross High School (Norcross, Ga.)
Storylines: See complete schedule here. This event may provide No. 13 Greater Atlanta Christian (Norcross) with its toughest remaining test. The Spartans will look to extend a 38-game win streak against a talented Winston-Salem Prep squad that won North Carolina's 1A title a year ago. In another attractive matchup, Wenonah (Birmingham, Ala.) will face Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) in a battle of state championship contenders.



Fairfax State Preview

Saturday at Fairfax High School (Los Angeles)
Storylines: Games begin at 9:30 a.m. for this all-day affair. The finale tips at 8:15 p.m. between No. 17 Loyola (Los Angeles) and a dangerous El Camino Real (Woodland Hills) squad. Other headliners include Bishop Montgomery (Torrance), Chino Hills, Compton, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) and host Fairfax (Los Angeles).

Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout
Saturday and Sunday at Walsh University (North Canton, Ohio)
Storylines: See complete schedule here. No. 10 La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.) will play on both days of the event, facing Cleveland Central Catholic on Saturday and Warrensville Heights (Warrensville, Ohio) on Sunday. No. 20 Huntington St. Joseph Prep (W.Va.) will also take the floor in North Canton along with in-state powers like Mentor, St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland) and Walnut Hills (Cincinnati).

SNY Invitational

Friday and Saturday at City College of New York (New York)
Storylines: See complete schedule here.The television home of the New York Mets also puts on a pretty darn good high school basketball tournament in late January each year. Two-time defending champ St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) is back to attempt a three-peat against a field that includes Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Cardozo (Bayside, N.Y.) and St. Mary's (Manhasset, N.Y.).