Video: Michael Porter Jr. highlightsNation's top senior will lead Nathan Hale against Oak Hill Academy at Spalding Hoophall Classic.From a national perspective there won't be a bigger weekend of high school basketball all season.
Events like the Spalding Hoophall Classic, Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions and Flyin' to the Hoop are stacked with ranked teams that will collide and shape the national championship race going forward.
A dozen nationally-ranked teams will take the floor at the Spalding Hoophall Classic alone – including eight on what has become known as ‘Big Monday' in Springfield, Mass.
Read on for a breakdown of this weekend's biggest games.
Photos: Wayne Litmer & Vince Miller
These longtime Garden State rivals will hook it up at the Jersey City Armory for the second year in a row. St. Anthony won 60-56 a year ago en route to an unbeaten season and state title but it will be the Patrick School entering as a slight favorite this time around.
No. 1 Nathan Hale (Seattle) vs. * 7 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)1 p.m. (EST) Monday @ Spalding Hoophall Classic (Springfield, Mass.)Huge national championship implications in this one. Unbeaten Nathan Hale won't play another team outside the state of Washington the rest of the season after its showdown with Oak Hill Academy in Springfield. While there are some formidable challengers in-state for
Michael Porter Jr. and the Raiders (Garfield and Rainier Beach of Seattle, to name a couple), they have been overwhelming so far.
* No. 2 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) vs. Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, Ohio)1:15 p.m. (EST) Monday @ Flyin' to the Hoop (Kettering, Ohio)This one has to be the highlight of a loaded four-day schedule at Flyin' to the Hoop. Both teams enter unbeaten and rolling. Prolific Prep is starting to think national title while Trotwood-Madison would almost certainly play its way into the High School Top 25 with a win. The Rams' average margin of victory in their perfect start is 41 points per game.
* No. 4 Montverde Academy (Fla.) vs. No. 16 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.)3 p.m. (EST) Monday @ Spalding Hoophall ClassicBishop Montgomery is another red-hot squad entering the weekend. The Knights haven't had a competitive game since Dec. 17, winning all 10 outings since by 20 points or more. Montverde Academy will be coming off three tough games at the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions.
* No. 1 La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.) vs. No. 3 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)5 p.m. (EST) Monday @ Spalding Hoophall Classic
Expect a hearty effort from Sierra Canyon this weekend. National title hopefuls at the time, the Trailblazers suffered major heartbreak one year ago, losing at the buzzer to Oak Hill Academy in the Bass Pro final then getting overwhelmed by Montverde Academy at Hoophall. That memory still stings and Sierra Canyon would love to atone with a Springfield Sweep.
More Games of InterestBass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions (Springfield, Mo.): See our preview of this extravaganza
here.
Burger King Classic (Erie, Pa.): Always an outstanding field in Erie and this year is no exception with
Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.),
Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland, Ohio), and
Westerville South (Westerville, Ohio) joining host
Cathedral Prep (Erie).
* No. 3
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) vs. * No. 10
Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, Tenn.)8:15 p.m. (EST) Friday @ Flyin' to the HoopPickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) vs.
Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)4:45 p.m. (EST) Saturday @ Flyin' to the Hoop* No. 3 IMG Academy vs. * No. 8
Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)2:15 p.m. (EST) Sunday @ Spalding Hoophall ClassicNo. 24
Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) vs.
Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia)4 p.m. (EST) Sunday @ Spalding Hoophall Classic* Independent Top 10 ranking
