Michael Gilchrist, St. Patrick
File photo by Todd Shurtleff
Despite weather issues making travel difficult in the Northeast and along the Atlantic Coast, one of the nation’s biggest and best high school basketball showcases will go off as planned with only one contest being impacted.
Teams from six states will converge on Kean University in Union, N.J., and the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton over the weekend for an 18-game extravaganza known as the PrimeTime Shootout.
Long an attraction in the Northeast, the Shootout gained national appeal in 2002 when LeBron James and St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) faced Carmelo Anthony and Oak Hill Academy. Despite 36 points from James, 'Melo's Warriors came away with the win.
Snow will keep Montrose Christian of Rockville, Md., out of this year’s PrimeTime Shootout, according to event manager Jeff Hewitson. Montrose was slated to meet St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) on Saturday in Trenton.
The most heavily-anticipated game will be Friday night at Kean University when national No. 11 St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) meets No. 12 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.).
Other ranked teams on the schedule include No. 5 St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.), No. 10 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) and No. 17 Half Hollow Hills West (Dix Hills, N.Y.).
Here is the PrimeTime Shootout’s complete weekend offering;
Friday, Feb. 12 at Kean University / Union, N.J.
5:30 p.m. – Monroe Township (Monroe Township, N.J.) vs. Ridge (Basking Ridge, N.J.)
7 p.m. – Lakewood (Lakewood, N.J.) vs. St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.)
9 p.m. – St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) vs. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
10:30 p.m. – Plainfield (Plainfield, N.J.) vs. St. Joseph (Metuchen, N.J.)
Saturday, Feb. 13 at Sun National Bank Center / Trenton
Noon – Our Savior New American (Centereach, N.Y.) vs. Life Center Academy (Burlington, N.J.)
1:30 p.m. – Middle Township (Cape May Court House, N.J.) vs. Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
3 p.m. – Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) vs. Trenton Catholic Academy (Trenton, N.J.)
4:30 p.m. – Hotchkiss (Lakeville, Conn.) vs. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
7:30 p.m. – Rice (New York, N.Y.) vs. St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)
9 p.m. – St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) vs. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Sunday, Feb. 14 at Sun National Bank Center / Trenton
11 a.m. – Pennington (Pennington, N.J.) vs. Albany Academy for Boys (Albany, N.Y.)
12:30 p.m. – Nichols (Buffalo, N.Y.) vs. Oak Ridge Military Academy (Oak Ridge, N.C.)
2 p.m. – Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) vs. Half Hollow Hills West (Dix Hills, N.Y.)
3:30 p.m. – Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) vs. Trenton Catholic Academy (Trenton, N.J.)
5 p.m. – Cherokee (Marlton, N.J.) vs. Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
6:30 p.m. – Shabazz (Newark, N.J.) vs. St. Raymond Boys (Bronx, N.Y.)
8 p.m. – Montgomery (Skillman, N.J.) vs. New Egypt (New Egypt, N.J.)
