High school basketball: Spalding Hoophall Classic announces field

By Jordan Divens Oct 21, 2021, 11:00am

Oak Hill Academy, IMG Academy, Montverde Academy, Milton, DeMatha and Camden among headliners for the 20th annual event.

The Spalding Hoophall Classic is annually the top showcase event in high school basketball with teams from coast to coast taking the floor in Springfield, Mass. — home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The 20th edition will take place over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend from Jan. 13-17 at Blake Arena on the campus of Springfield College.

After being forced to cancel the event last season because of COVID-19, the Classic is back this season with a robust field that includes top national programs Montverde Academy, AZ Compass Prep, IMG Academy, Oak Hill Academy, Milton, DeMatha, Sunrise Christian Academy, Camden and Prolific Prep among others.

Headlining matchups include AZ Compass Prep vs. IMG Academy, Montverde Academy vs. DeMatha on Saturday, Oak Hill Academy vs. Gonzaga and Sunrise Christian Academy vs. Wasatch Academy on Sunday and Camden vs. Milton, Montverde Academy vs. IMG Academy and Prolific Prep vs. Link Academy on Monday.

Top prospects expected to compete in the event include Top 10 Class of 2022 prospects Dereck Lively II of Westtown, Keyonte George of IMG Academy, Dariq Whitehead of Montverde Academy, Chris Livingston of Oak Hill Academy and Kyle Filipowski of Wilbraham & Monson. Top 10 Class of 2023 prospects expected to participate include D.J. Wagner of Camden, Kwame Evans Jr. of Montverde Academy, Mackenzie Mgbako of Gill St. Bernard's, Mookie Cook of AZ Compass Prep, J.J. Taylor of Kenwood, Omaha Biliew of Link Academy and Caleb Foster of Oak Hill Academy.



See the complete lineup below.
No. 2 ranked senior prospect Dereck Lively II and Westtown will be among the headliners in Springfield.
No. 2 ranked senior prospect Dereck Lively II and Westtown will be among the headliners in Springfield.
File photo by Dan Browning
Thursday, Jan. 13

Friday, Jan. 14
7:30 p.m. — Central vs. Bristol Central (Bristol, Conn.)
9:30 p.m. — Westtown (West Chester, Pa.) vs. Vertical Academy (Charlotte, N.C.)

Saturday, Jan. 15

Sunday, Jan. 16
1:30 p.m. — Oak Hill Academy vs. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)
5 p.m. — Sunrise Christian Academy vs. Wasatch Academy
7 p.m. — Gill St. Bernard's vs. Westtown
9 p.m. — AZ Compass Prep vs. La Lumiere

Monday, Jan. 17
1 p.m. — Camden vs. Milton (Ga.)
3 p.m. — Montverde Academy vs. IMG Academy

* Girls game