Jalen Green vs. R.J. Hampton and N'Faly Dante vs. Vernon Carey Jr. are among the must-see meetings.
Video: WeNext - Jalen Green See the Fresno junior with that 'it' factor.
The anticipation around the 2018-19 high school basketball season is building.
As the holidays approach we take a look at 10 matchups that will feel like Christmas morning, with highlights in the form of gifts for the fans.
Top 10 individual player matchups of the 2018-19 season
Details: Nov. 24, 2018 — Dallas HoopFest Showcase (Dallas)
Details: Dec. 15, 2018 (Glendale, Wis.)
Breakdown: The
top prospects in Wisconsin face off in a highly anticipated Badger State showdown. Baldwin is the state's No. 1 2021 prospect and takes on Johnson, the No. 5 junior in the state.
Details: Jan. 4, 2019 — Cancer Research Classic (Wheeling, W.Va.)
Breakdown: Boston, the
No. 11 player in the Class of 2020, will be expected to have a monster
outing against the No. 1 team in the nation in the West Virginia game. The elite junior prospect will likely be
matched up against Cunningham, the No. 8 prospect in the Class of 202, who will be expected to play a large role for the Eagles this year.
Details: Jan. 4, 2019 (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Breakdown: The
top-ranked Golden State team meets one
of the top prospects in the state when Christopher leads Mayfair
against No. 5 Sierra Canyon and Stanley. The former 5-star
prospect Stanley looks to solidify himself as a Top 25 prospect
once again, while Christopher hopes to continue to climb the Class
of 2020 rankings, ranked No. 9 overall.
Details: Jan. 11, 2019 (West Memphis, Ark.)
Breakdown: The two future NBA lottery picks, Mobley is the top-ranked 2020 prospect and Wiseman the top 2019 prospect, will go toe to toe in the prime time matchup on ESPN2. The potential for these two big men are through the roof, with both expected to make a massive impact this season.
Details: Jan. 20, 2019 — Spalding Hoophall Classic (Springfield, Mass.)
Breakdown: Cockburn needs a very strong game against a fierce IMG Academy frontcourt for the Warriors to knock off a talented Ascenders squad. His counterpart, North Carolina commit Bacot, leads a loaded IMG Academy frontcourt that features fellow 5-star Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (committed to Villanova).
Details: Jan. 21, 2019 — Spalding Hoophall Classic (Springfield, Mass.)
Breakdown: Dickinson, a Top
20 Class of 2020 prospect, faces off
against Stewart, the No. 5 recruit in the Class of 2019, in an
interesting Monday meeting at the Spalding Hoophall Classic. Dickinson
looks to exploit his advantage in height, while Stewart tries to
muscle the Lakers to the finish line.
Details: Jan. 25, 2019 (Davie, Fla.)
Breakdown: Two of the top big men in the country face off in late January when Carey Jr., the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2019, battles Dante, the No. 10 prospect in the Class of 2020. The immensely talented big men will play crucial roles for the Sharks and Buffaloes in this Top 10 team and prospect showdown.
Details: Jan. 30, 2019 — Jersey Shore Challenge (Middletown, N.J.)
Breakdown: The
top two prospects in the Garden State meet in this late-season
battle, with Kentucky commit Whitney facing off against Florida
commit Lewis. This matchup goes deeper than the players on the
court as Lewis chose Florida over Kentucky in his recruitment.
Details: Feb. 2, 2019 — Dr. Pepper Classic (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Breakdown: After
an incredible start to the season, Edwards is on track to take
the state of Georgia by storm this season with the potential of climbing
to the top-ranked player in the 2020 class. 5-star Arizona commit Green will likely be stuck with the difficult assignment for IMG Academy
in the battle of elite athletes.
Josh Green, IMG Academy
File photo by David Rosenblum
