Attention basketball fans!
The DICK’S Sporting Goods High School Nationals returns to Christ The King high school for the fourth consecutive year, featuring the best high school basketball talent in the country.
All eight of the boys teams selected to play in the ninth annual tournament are ranked in the top 20 of the USA Today Super 25 Expert Rankings, and all four of the girls teams are also ranked in the top 20.
The three-day, single-elimination tournament begins Thursday, March 30, at noon with the boys quarterfinals on ESPNU, and continues on Friday, March 31, with the girls semifinals (11 a.m. & 1 p.m., ESPNU) and boys semifinals (3 p.m. & 5p.m., ESPN2). The tournament culminates on Saturday, April 1, with the girls championship (10 a.m.,ESPN2) and the boys championship game (noon, ESPN).
This year’s pool will include five state champions, and a handful of future NBA draft picks.
In the boys field, six of the top ten ranked teams in the nation will participate, including Findlay Prep (Nev.), IMG Academy (Fla.), La Lumiere (Ind.), Montverde Academy (Fla.), Shadow Mountain (Ariz.) and 2016 DICK’S Nationals Champion Oak Hill Academy (Va.). Two other boys teams competing in the tournament won their respective state championships, including Greensboro Day School (N.C.) and Shadow Mountain High School (Ariz.).
Five McDonald’s All-American representatives will participate in the tournament, including Brian Bowen (La Lumiere), Trevon Duval (IMG Academy), Jaren Jackson (La Lumiere), Billy Preston (Oak Hill) and P.J. Washington (Findlay Prep).
Tickets are available now at dicksnationals.com. General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
2017 DICK’S Sporting Goods High School Nationals Participating Boys Teams
Rankings per USA Today High School Sports; Player rankings per ESPN 100 (Class of 2017), ESPN 60 (Class of 2018) and ESPN 25 (Class of 2019).
School (State) 2016-2017 Record
No. 2 La Lumiere School (Ind.) 26-1
No. 4 IMG Academy (Fla.) 26-1
No. 5 Findlay Prep (Nev.) 33-3
No. 7 Montverde Academy (Fla.) 24-4
No. 8 Oak Hill Academy (Va.) 39-4
No. 10 Shadow Mountain (Ariz.) 27-0
No. 15 Wasatch Academy (Utah) 24-4
No. 19 Greensboro Day School (N.C.) 33-3