Harrisons, Fort Bend Travis highlight 2012 MaxPreps Holiday Classic field

The nation's top two high school basketball recruits headline the field headed to Palm Springs, Calif., for this year's MaxPreps Holiday Classic.

The annual event will be held Dec. 26-29 at multiple venues in and around Palm Springs. Brackets and schedules will be completed and announced in late October. More than 120 boys and girls teams from 10 states are scheduled to participate.

"MaxPreps set out to create the finest high school basketball tournament in the country," MaxPreps founder and President Andy Beal said. "Based upon the great field of teams, outstanding elite talent and the superb venue in sunny Palm Springs, I think we have succeeded."

Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas) senior twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison are among the stars headed to the popular resort destination for the Classic. Ranked the top two recruits nationally in the Class of 2013 by MaxPreps, the Harrisons led the Houston-area school to the Texas Class 5A state championship game as juniors.

Joining Travis in the 16-team open division will be four-time defending Georgia Class AAAA state champion Miller Grove (Lithonia), defending Washington Class 3A state champ Rainier Beach (Seattle) and perennial California powers Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood), Loyola (Los Angeles), Orange Lutheran and Westchester (Los Angeles).

Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.), De La Salle (Chicago) and Madison Ridgeland Academy (Madison, Miss.) are also slated to challenge for the open division title, giving the Classic a true national field.

Led by senior super duo Xavier Johnson (now at Colorado) and Katin Reinhardt (UNLV), Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) defeated Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.) in the open division championship game in 2011. The Monarchs went on to compile a 34-2 record, capture California's Division I state title and finish the season ranked No. 6 nationally.

"With the setting and first-class field of teams, this event has all the makings of being something special in 2012," Tournament Director Rob Hanmer said. "Palm Springs is going to be the focus of the high school basketball world after Christmas."

Other nationally ranked players expected to participate include 7-foot-4 senior center Mamadou Ndiaye of Brethren Christian (Huntington Beach, Calif.), junior wing Shaqquan Aaron of Rainier Beach and junior point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright of Loyola.

The MaxPreps Holiday Classic is interested in adding four teams to the 2012 field. Contact Rob Hanmer (rob@geartothemax.com) if your program is interested in participating.

For more information on the event, visit www.maxprepsholidayclassic.com.

MaxPreps Holiday Classic 2012 Field

BOYS

Arizona: Paradise Honors (Surprise), St. Mary's (Phoenix)
California: Antelope, Bella Vista (Fair Oaks), Benicia, Brentwood School (Los Angeles), Brethren Christian (Huntington Beach), Cabrillo (Lompoc), Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo), Cathedral City, Citrus Hill (Perris), Coachella Valley (Thermal), Crescenta Valley (La Crescenta), Dana Hills (Dana Point), Desert Chapel (Palm Springs), Desert Christian (Lancaster), Desert Hot Springs, Desert Mirage (Thermal), Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch (Pomona), Dorsey (Los Angeles), Downey, Edison (Huntington Beach), El Toro (Lake Forest), Godinez (Santa Ana), Great Oak (Temecula), Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood), Joshua Springs (Yucca Valley), King (Riverside), La Quinta, LACES (Los Angeles), Lakeside (Lake Elsinore), Loyola (Los Angeles), Marina (Huntington Beach), Marywood-Palm Valley (Rancho Mirage), Menlo (Atherton), Mission Viejo, J.W. North (Riverside), Orange Lutheran, Pacifica Christian (Santa Monica), Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Patriot (Riverside), Perris, Ponderosa (Shingle Springs), Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton), Salesian (Los Angeles), Santiago (Corona), Shadow Hills (Indio), Sutter, Torrance, Viewpoint (Calabasas), Villa Park, Villanova Prep (Ojai), West Shores (Salton City), Westchester (Los Angeles), Yucca Valley
Georgia: Miller Grove (Lithonia)
Illinois: De La Salle (Chicago)
Mississippi: Madison Ridgeland Academy (Madison)
Nevada: Desert Oasis (Las Vegas), Silverado (Las Vegas)
New York: Cardinal Hayes (Bronx)
Texas: Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas)
Utah: Pleasant Grove
Washington: Bellevue, O'Dea (Seattle), Rainier Beach (Seattle)

GIRLS (all California schools)

Brethren Christian (Huntington Beach), Cathedral City, Coachella Valley (Thermal), Dana Hills (Dana Point), Desert Christian (Lancaster), Desert Mirage (Thermal), Indio, La Quinta, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo, Pacifica Christian (Santa Monica), Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Shadow Hills (Indio), St. Margaret's (San Juan Capistrano), Venice (Los Angeles), West Shores (Salton City), Yucca Valley