High school basketball: Tournaments and events to watch for the 2021-22 season

After a challenging 2020-21 season due to the pandemic, tournaments and events schedule is loaded once again this winter.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Jordan Divens
By
Nov 9, 2021, 11:00am
The 2020-21 high school basketball season saw the majority of its top events canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, a robust tournaments and events schedule is back for the upcoming season.

After a year hiatus, elite events like the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions, City of Palms Classic, Spalding Hoophall Classic and Metro Classic are back stronger than ever for the upcoming season.

Below is a guide to over 80 of the top events from coast to coast scheduled for the coming months.

2021-22 basketball tournaments and events
Top-ranked junior prospect D.J. Wagner looks to lead Camden to the top spot in the national rankings.
Top-ranked junior prospect D.J. Wagner looks to lead Camden to the top spot in the national rankings.
File Photo: John Jones
November

11-14 — Latitude Longitude Classic (Chandler, Ariz.)
Grind Session event.

12 — The Battle (Coppell, Texas)
Preseason National Top 20 program Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) and Donda Academy (Simi Valley, Calif.) are joined by Mikey Williams and Vertical Academy (Charlotte, N.C.).

12-13 — Carmel Christian Tip-Off (Charlotte, N.C.)
Dubbed the "Battle of the Goats" between two of high school basketball's all-time wins leaders Steve Smith of Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) with 1,200 career wins and Freddy Johnson of Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) with over 1,100 will be on opposing sidelines.

18-20 — McDonald's Texas Invitational (Pasadena, Calif.)
Forty-eight of the top programs in the Lone Star State compete across six different brackets for early-season bragging rights.

18-21 — All the Smoke Classic (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Grind Session event.

19-20 — Darius Miles Blood Sweat & Tears Showcase (Kansas City, Mo.)
Nationally-ranked Link Academy and Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.Va.) do battle at Staley High School.

20 — On The Radar Hoops Tip-Off Classic (Norcross, Ga.)
The one-day event will feature six matchups between top Georgia programs including Grayson (Loganville) vs. Wheeler (Marietta) and Norcross vs. Newton (Covington).

20, 22-23 — Jared Cook Classic (Suwanee, Ga.)
Defending state champions Milton (Class 7A) and Pace Academy (Atlanta) (Class 2A) headline an all-Georgia field.

23-27 — Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions (Washington, Ill.)
Teams from Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Colorado, South Carolina, California and Missouri will be represented in the event.

26-27 — Holiday Hoopsgiving (Atlanta, Ga.)
Eighth Annual event will feature 28 games between top Georgia schools and representatives from 10 additional states. Featured matchups include Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) vs. Pebblebrook (Mableton, Ga.), Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) vs. Wheeler and Huntington Prep vs. Donda Academy among others.

26-27 — Lighthouse Classic (Corinth, Miss.)
Grind Session event.

26-27 — Thanksgiving Hoopfest (Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas)

27 — NorCal Tip Off Classic (Dublin, Calif.)

December

2-4 — Bob Kirk Invitational (Cumberland, Md.)
NIBC matchups between nationally-ranked Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.) and Wasatch Academy along with La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) against Legacy Early College headline the event.

2-4 — Battle at the Rock (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Top participating teams include Denver Prep Academy (Denver, Colo.), Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.), Liberty Heights (Charlotte, N.C.), Link Academy and Vertical Academy among others.

2-4 — Barry Pruitt Hurricane Classic (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Fifteen-time state champion Jonesboro (Ark.) hosts the 36th annual event with an 8-team bracket highlighted by nationally-ranked North Little Rock.

2-4 — NIBC at Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Montverde Academy, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Oak Hill Academy and Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) each play each over the course of the three-day NIBC event.

2-5 — Marshall County Hoopfest (Benton, Ky.)
Grind Session event.

3-4 — Tyler Lewis Hoopfest (Lewisville, N.C.)

3-4 — Chicago Elite Classic (Chicago)

3-4 — Red River Hoopfest (Texarkana, Texas)
Teams from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas take the court at Texas High School, including Duncanville, Carver Collegiate Academy (New Orleans, La.), Bartlesville (Okla.) and Zachary (La.).

2-5 — Marshall County Hoopfest (Benton, Ky.)
Grind Session event.

4 — National Hoopfest (Hyattsville, Md.)
Host DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) will be tested in a contest against top 50 program Westtown (West Chester, Pa.).

4 — The Chosen 1's Invitational (Los Angeles, Calif.)
The Staples Center plays host to a highly-anticipated contest between Sierra Canyon and LeBron James' alma mater St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio).

4 — TOC Showcase (Marietta, Ga.)
The final three games headline this showcase as East Coweta (Sharpsburg, Ga.) faces Pace Academy, Pebblebrook takes on Milton and Wheeler duels McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.).

4 — Sneakers for Santa (Brownsburg, Ind.)
The Hoosier State event features some of the top in-state teams including Carmel, Warren Central (Indianapolis), Homestead (Fort Wayne), Lawrence North (Indianapolis), Gary West Side and Cathedral (Indianapolis) joined by out-of-state foe Brush (Lyndhurst, Ohio).

6-8 — Norm Stewart Classic (Columbia, Mo.)
This unique event gives us an early look at Missouri contenders with 48 consecutive hours of basketball over the course of this special three-day event.

8-11 — Hoophall West (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Ranked preseason teams Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), AZ Compass Prep, Montverde Academy, Oak Hill Academy, Wasatch Academy, Legacy Early College, DeMatha, Sierra Canyon and Centennial highlight field.

9-11 — The Bash (Columbia, S.C.)

9-11 — Battle in the Bluff (Bartlett, Tenn.)
Nationally-ranked programs Knoxville Catholic (Knoxville, Tenn.), Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.), Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, Richardson, Combine Academy and North Little Rock are joined by Volunteer State headliners Cane Ridge (Nashville), Memphis East (Memphis), Christian Brothers (Memphis), Briarcrest Christian (Eads), White Station (Memphis) and Goodpasture Christian (Madison).

10-11 — Holiday Hoopfest (Lehi, Utah)

10 — Hoop Group Reading Tip-Off (Reading, Pa.)
Reading (Pa.) hosts Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia) in a showdown between the top two teams in the Keystone State.

9-11 — Hawks-Naismith Classic (Atlanta and Norcross, Ga.)
The top two teams in the Peach State go head-to-head as Berkmar meets Milton in a rematch of the Class AAAAAAA state championship game last season.

17-18 — Hoophall Central (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Nationally-ranked Centennial and Sunrise Christian Academy are joined by Simeon, Dream City Christian, Kenwood, North Community (Minneapolis, Minn.), Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.), De Smet Jesuit (St. Louis, Mo.), Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) and Sioux City East (Sioux City, Iowa) in the first year showcase.

15-21 — Tarkanian Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Bishop Gorman, Pebblebrook, Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.), John Paul II (Plano, Texas), Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), Greenhill (Addison, Texas) and Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) are among event headliners. A prep division will go from Dec. 15-17 followed by the high school division that will run Dec. 17-21.

17-18 — Memphis vs. the World (Eads, Tenn.)
Grind Session event.

17-21 — 'Iolani Classic (Honolulu, Hawaii)
The field has yet to be officially announced, however expected event headliners include nationally-ranked programs Sierra Canyon and St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.).

17-22 — City of Palms Classic (Fort Myers, Fla.)
Nationally-ranked preseason squads Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Gill St. Bernard's (Gladstone, N.J.), Berkmar, Dr. Phillips, IMG Academy, Milton, Montverde Academy, North Little Rock, Oak Hill Academy, Orlando Christian Prep and Whitney Young  headline the 16-team field. AZ Compass Prep and Combine Academy will compete in the four-team Signature Series.

17-22 — King of the Bluegrass (Fairdale, Ky.)

18-21 — The Hardwood Invite (Seattle, Wash.)
Top Evergreen State teams Auburn, Garfield (Seattle), Gonzaga Prep (Spokane), Nathan Hale (Seattle) and O'Dea (Seattle) are joined by out-out-state programs South Medford (Medford, Ore.), Westview (Portland, Ore.) and Winter Haven (Fla.).

26-30 — Governors Challenge (Salisbury, Md.)
The 40th edition of the largest holiday tournament in the country features over 120 teams at the Wicomico Civic Center and surrounding high schools.

27-29 — King Cotton Holiday Classic (Pine Bluff, Ark.)
Nationally ranked Beaumont United and North Little Rock will compete against Cane Ridge, Christian Brothers, Cardinal Ritter College Prep (St. Louis, Mo.) and Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City, Texas) in the 16-team tournament style field.

27-29 — Battle at the Villages (The Villages, Fla.)
Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 programs Calvary Christian Academy and Orlando Christian Prep will compete for the title in the 8-team field.

27-29 — Slam Dunk to the Beach (Lewes, Del.)
Nationally-ranked Camden (N.J.), Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.), AZ Compass Prep, Gill St. Bernard's, Our Saviour Lutheran, Imhotep Charter and St. Paul VI are joined by national contenders Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), Westtown and Gray Collegiate.

27-30 — Beach Ball Classic (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)

27-30 — Chick-fil-A Classic (Lexington, S.C.)
Preseason National Top 20 teams Prolific Prep, Hillcrest Prep, Denver Prep Academy, Huntington Prep and Legacy Early College are joined by formidable unites Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), Dream City Christian and Grayson among others. The field will be split into two eight-team brackets.

27-30 — Les Schwab Invitational (Hillsboro, Ore.)
Out-of-state programs Gonzga, Newman (New Orleans, La.) and Link Academy join in-state mainstays like Central Catholic (Portland), Jefferson, Jesuit (Portland), Lake Oswego and West Linn.

27-30 — John Wall Holiday Invitational (Raleigh, N.C.)
Kanye West's newly-formed Donda Academy, St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) and in-state powerhouse Combine Academy are among the headliners in the to be announced field.

27-30 — The Holiday Classic (San Diego, Calif.)
Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 teams DeMatha and Bishop Gorman will be apart of the 31st annual event.

27-30 — Proviso West Holiday Tournament (Hillside, Ill.)
Always a premier event in the state, will provide early bragging rights in the Chicago area.

27-30 — The Classic at Damien (La Verne, Calif.)
Fifth annual tournament features five divisions of 16 teams and one division of eight teams in a California-heavy field.

27-31 — Arby's Classic (Bristol, Tenn.)
Features teams from nine different states and the Bahamas, including nationally-ranked Berkmar, Dr. Phillips, Knoxville Catholic and Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.).

27-31 — Jack Tosh Holiday Classic (Elmhurst, Ill.)
Nationally ranked Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) headlines the 32-team field.

28-30 — Hoop City Classic (Mitchell and Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Top South Dakota and Wyoming teams are joined by Houston (Germantown) and First Assembly Christian (Cordova) out of Tennessee along with Totino-Grace (Fridley) and DeLaSalle (Minneapolis) from Minnesota.

28-31 — Whataburger Tournament (Fort Worth, Texas)
Top 10 programs Duncanville and Richardson are joined by top Lone Star State contenders Summer Creek (Houston), McKinney, Mansfield Timberview (Arlington), Mansfield Legacy (Mansfield), Coppell, South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie) and Waxahachie in the loaded 16-team Orange Division.
Recent Kentucky pledge Cason Wallace hopes to lead Richardson to its first state championship.
Recent Kentucky pledge Cason Wallace hopes to lead Richardson to its first state championship.
File Photo: Michael Horbovetz
January

5-8 — All State Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic (New Orleans, La.)
Field has yet to be announced for the 11th annual event.

6-8 — Hoophall South (Bentonville, Ark.)
Top 50 programs Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.), St. John's (Washington, D.C.), Coronado, Carver Collegiate Academy and Link Year Academy will be joined by in-state Central (Little Rock), Bentonville West (Centerton) and host Bentonville.

6-8 — NIBC at La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)
All games are live streamed on ESPNU and ESPN+ with top matchups including Oak Hill Academy versus La Lumiere, Montverde Academy versus Sunrise Christian Academy and IMG Academy versus Wasatch Academy.

6-9 — Mustang Madness (Paducah, Ky.)
Grind Session event.

7-8 — Chance Harman Classic (Floyd, Va.)
Nationally ranked programs Sunrise Christian Academy, Combine Academy, Winston-Salem Christian and Centerville (Ohio) headline the 11-game event.

7-8 — Miami Classic (Miami, Fla.)
Nationally-ranked Calvary Christian Academy is among those featured in the Sunshine State event.

8 — Showdown in O-Town (Orlando, Fla.)
Defending Class 2A state champion Orlando Christian Prep plays host for the one-day event.

8 — Highland Shootout (Highland, Ill.)
A showdown between Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) and Imhotep Charter headlines the eight game all-day event.

8-9 — The Legends Classic (Akron, Ohio)
St. Vincent-St. Mary hosts Oak Cliff Faith Christian Academy, Hillcrest Prep, Butchel, Patrick School, Fern Creek (Louisville, Ky.), ISA Academy (Willoughby, Ohio) and Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.).

13-15 — Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions (Springfield, Mo.)
Eight-team bracketed field features Sierra Canyon, Milton, St. Paul VI, Whitney Young, Rainier Beach (Seattle, Wash.), New Madrid (Mo.), Nixa (Mo.) and Parkview (Springfield, Mo.).

13-17 — Spalding Hoophall Classic (Springfield, Mass.)
The premier showcase event will feature headlining contests between Montverde Academy and DeMatha, IMG Academy and IMG Academy, Milton against Camden and IMG Academy vs. Montverde Academy.

14-17 — Flyin' to the Hoop (Dayton, Ohio)
Nationally-ranked Huntington Prep, Combine Academy, Link Academy, Centerville and Wheeler join top Ohio programs St. Vincent-St. Mary, Shaker Heights, St. Ignatius (Cleveland), Wayne (Huber Heights), Pickerington North (Pickerington), Garfield Heights, Lincoln (Gahanna), Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood) and Jackson (Massillon).

15 — Big City Showdown (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Bishop Gorman faces Coronado in a Vegas-sized showdown on the campus of UNLV at Cox Pavilion.

21-22 — Ascender Classic (Bradenton, Fla.)
IMG Academy will host a robust field that includes Imhotep Charter.

21-22 — Quincy Shootout (Quincy, Ill.)
Eighteen matchups over two days will be headlined by contests between Berkmar and Huntington Prep, Link Academy and Real Salt Lake Academy and Huntington Prep versus iSchool (Lewisville, Texas) among others.

21-23 — Crush in the Valley 1 (Napa, Calif.)
Grind Session event.

27-29 — Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament (Montverde, Fla.)
Real Salt Lake Academy, Kimball, Calvary Christian, Dr. Phillips and Long Island Lutheran are among teams expected to participate.

28-29 — Nike Extravaganza (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Top matchups include Bishop Gorman versus Whitney Young and Centennial against Coronado along with host Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) taking on Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) and Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, Calif.).

29 — Longhorn 5-star Classic (Milton, Ga.)
Six matchups will culminate with host Milton taking on St. Mary's (Phoenix, Ariz.) in the nightcap.
Five-star junior Caleb Love will be the catalyst for No. 4 Oak Hill Academy this season.
Five-star junior Caleb Love will be the catalyst for No. 4 Oak Hill Academy this season.
File Photo: Annette Wilkerson
February

3-5 — Metro Classic (Toms River, N.J.)
Nine showdowns will be live streamed on ESPNU and ESPN+ highlighted by matchups of Montverde Academy versus La Lumiere, Oak Hill Academy versus Wasatch Academy and IMG Academy against Sunrise Christian Academy.

4-6 — DeAndre Ayton's Duel in the Desert (Glendale, Ariz.)
Grind Session event.

5-6 — Court XIV Classic (Charlotte, N.C.)
AZ Compass Prep is set to take on Vertical Academy and Huntington Prep in the Tar Heel State event.

6 — Lehigh Valley Hoop Fest (Lehigh, Pa.)
A clash between perennial powerhouse programs IMG Academy and St. Benedict's Prep is expected in the Keystone State.

12 — Heartland Hoops Classic (Grand Island, Neb.)
Eight games will span the course of the entire day headlined by a showdown between GEICO Nationals contenders Link Academy and Wasatch Academy.

18-19 — Dr. Pepper Classic (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Sunrise Christian Academy, Hamilton Heights Christian and Knoxville Catholic are among the top teams at this year's event.

19-20 — Crush in the Valley 2 (Napa, Calif.)
Grind Session event.

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