Weekend Watch: Six ranked teams headed to Hardaway Hoop Fest

It's Memphis vs. America this weekend at the Penny Hardaway Hoop Fest.

Several of the top high school basketball programs from Memphis will take on challengers from around the country beginning Thursday and running through Saturday at Dyer County High School in Newbern and the Spartan Palace in Memphis.

Nationally-ranked Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), Simeon (Chicago), Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) and Whitney Young (Chicago) are among the out-of-towners en route to face local powers like Craigmont, Melrose, Memphis East, Ridgeway, Southwind and White Station.

Click here for a complete list of games and times for the Penny Hardaway Hoop Fest.



Weekend Watch
Five key games likely to impact next week's national rankings.

* No. 4 Whitney Young (Chicago) vs. No. 10 White Station (Memphis, Tenn.): A Saturday game at the Penny Hardaway Hoop Fest, host White Station needs a win here to remain in the national rankings following a loss to District 16-AAA rival Whitehaven (Memphis) on Tuesday. Hickman's pick: Whitney Young

* No. 7 Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) vs. No. 8 Simeon (Chicago): Strong revenge factor here – for both teams – in yet another Hardaway Hoop Fest showdown. Southwind's motivation comes from a 19-point loss to the three-time defending Illinois 4A state champs when the teams met last season. Simeon is looking to bounce back from a humbling loss to Montverde Academy (Fla.) last weekend at the Cancer Research Classic. Hickman's pick: Southwind

* No. 13 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) vs. No. 14 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.): Aside from national No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana), Bishop Montgomery has emerged as the story of the year so far in California by racing to a 17-0 record with wins over Price (Los Angeles), Seattle Prep, Serra (Gardena) and Westchester (Los Angeles). But look for Bosco to have the proverbial chip on its shoulder after a Wednesday loss to aforementioned Trinity League rival Mater Dei. Hickman's pick: St. John Bosco

* No. 2 Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) vs. Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.): Part of the Brandon Jennings Invitational in Brookfield, Wis., Lone Peak can't get caught looking ahead to next weekend's Spalding Hoophall Classic against precocious Wesleyan Christian. The North Carolina squad has a senior stud in Trey Chapman, but juniors Theo Pinson and JaQuel Richmond and likely five-star freshman Harry Giles generate much of the buzz. Hickman's pick: Lone Peak

* No. 6 DeSoto (Texas) vs. Duncanville (Texas): DeSoto can avenge the lone loss on its schedule Friday night but will have to do it on the road. Host Duncanville beat the Eagles back in November in the final of the McDonald's Texas Invitational. DeSoto has responded with 16 wins in a row and a tournament title at the HighSchoolOT.com Invitational in North Carolina. Hickman's pick: DeSoto



Other games of interest

* No. 16 Iowa City West (Iowa) vs. Sun Prairie (Wis.): West has won 35 games in a row with each of those victories coming against in-state opponents. Unbeaten Sun Prairie will be an important measuring stick.

* Academy Top 10 No. 8 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) vs. Ridgeway (Memphis, Tenn.): Due to its upstart nature and lack of similar programs in the region, Sunrise Christian is going on two years running in the Academy Top 10 national rankings without a true signature victory. Beating Wes Henning's Roadrunners of Ridgeway would be a significant win for the Kansas independent.