High school basketball: No. 1 Paul VI, No. 2 Principia headline loaded Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions field

No. 5 Calvary Christian Academy, No. 6 Bartlett and No. 8 Wheeler are other nationally-ranked teams featured in the eight-team tournament bracket.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Jordan Divens
By
Jan 14, 2026, 1:00pm
The 41st annual Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., features five of the top eight teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school basketball rankings. No. 1 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), No. 2 Principia (St. Louis, Mo.), No. 5 Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), No. 6 Bartlett (Tenn.) and No. 8 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) headline the eight-team bracket.

St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) also joins the field while local programs Kickapoo (Springfield, Mo.) and Logan-Rogersville (Rogersville, Mo.) round out the tournament.

The marquee first-round matchup sees Bartlett face Wheeler in a clash of state title favorites in Tennessee and Georgia, respectively

BASS PRO TOC: Bracket
Quentin Coleman of Principia has scored with efficiency this season, shooting 59.9 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from 3-point range and 98.0 percent from the free throw line. (FILE PHOTO: Francis Fedor)
Quentin Coleman of Principia has scored with efficiency this season, shooting 59.9 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from 3-point range and 98.0 percent from the free throw line. (FILE PHOTO: Francis Fedor)
Wheeler (13-3) is led by top 25 Connecticut signee Colben Landrew, who is averaging 24.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest on the season. Other key contributors for the Wildcats include Clemson signee Amare James and four-star junior Kevin Savage.

Bartlett (16-2) counters with Dylan Jones, who is putting up 18.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Sophomores D.J. Okoth and Braylon Williams are other go-to guys in the offense.

Another first-round contest that draws plenty of intrigue is a matchup between Calvary Christian Academy and St. John Bosco.

Bosco (13-4) enters the tournament ranked just outside the MaxPreps Top 25. Five-star senior Christian Collins has been the catalyst for the Braves, averaging 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists per outing.

Calvary Christian Academy (12-1) has built a strong resume behind top 20 junior Cayden Daughtry, who is averaging 28.1 points, 4.9 assists and 2.8 steals per game.

Paul VI takes on a Logan-Rogersville (11-1) team anchored by top 40 Indiana signee Chase Branham while Principia faces event mainstay Kickapoo (9-2).

Principia (12-1) is led by top 100 Wake Forest signee Quentin Coleman, who is putting up 23.5 pints, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.0 steals per game. The Panthers took home third place at the City of Palms Classic last month.

Paul VI (14-1) is powered by top 10 senior Jordan Smith, who is tallying 27.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per outing. The Panthers captured the title at the City of Palms Classic when they handed Principia its lone loss on the year last month.

Could we see a rematch between No. 1 Paul VI vs. No. 2 Principia in the title game Saturday? Paul VI won the first meeting 78-68 in the City of Palms semifinals.

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