Preview: 2020 Sun Bash Tampa

The 3rd annual Sun Bash in Tampa is taking place next week from Thursday, January 2nd to Saturday, January 4th.

Year 1 started with a two-day showcase during the 2017-18 season before growing into a 16-team tournament last year and now the format returns at Clearwater Calvary Christian. 24 games will be played across three days with eight games daily.

The Sun Bash is a great way for teams to play against the top competition during the regular season while getting their prospects in front of college coaches, media and exposure through our network. This should be a fun week in Clearwater, so come out to Calvary Christian (110 BAYVIEW AVE, CLEARWATER, FL 33759) to watch the action.

Follow along on @Sunbashtourney and @PrephoopsFL on all social media platforms for updates and highlights. The live stream link for the games is here.

BUY TICKETS HERE

Day 1 Schedule

10 AM: Victory Christian vs Land O Lakes

11:30 AM: Hallandale vs Bayshore Christian

1 PM: Hillsborough vs Booker

2:30 PM: Paxon vs Fort Myers

4 PM: IMG vs. Choctaw

5:30 PM: Sickles vs Clearwater

7:00 PM: East Lake vs Wildwood

8:30 PM: Calvary Christian vs Seminole

Preview

The opening game at 10 AM features Victory Christian and its 2021 6'10" big man Aleksander Szymczyk against Land O' Lakes who flaunt two tough versatile 2020 guards in Chase Farmer and Mekhi Perry. At 11:30 AM, Hallandale has 2020 guard duo Michael Rogers and Carrington Campbell going up against Bayshore Christian and 2021 guard pair Charles Crews and Deon Brown. The 1 PM tilt has an always energized Hillsborough group led by 2020 pair Tyriq James and Cantia Rahming facing a quick Booker squad with 2021 guard King Winkfield and 2020 guard Noah Dubose at the forefront.

To follow, we'll see 2020 Central Florida commit Isaiah Adams and his Paxon squad take on Fort Myers at 2:30 PM. After that, 2022 IMG guard Eric Dailey Jr. (offers from UF, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Iowa State) and 2023 forward Jahzare Jackson will battle against Choctaw and its emerging 2021 guard Jamil Bowles.

Three games with local flavor will follow. Sickles and its two 2022 risers, forward Dillon Mitchell (offers from UF, Texas A&M, USF and SMU) and guard Jahvon Thomas will clash with Clearwater and 2020 sharpshooter Max Jones. After that, East Lake (8-0) will have 2020 Murray State commit Dionte Blanch going toe to toe with Wildwood (9-1) and its top scorer, 2020 guard Marcus Niblack (offers from FGCU, FIU, Hofstra, Stetson, FAU, UNF, USF and Georgia Southern). 

The final matchup of the night is going to be very fun between host Calvary Christian and 2020 6'7" North Florida commit Josh Berenbaum and 2023 6'2" guard Tristan Gross facing a Sanford Seminole (10-0) team that has endless athletes from top to bottom with a quartet of dangerous pieces in 2020 guards Ladarron Cleveland and Amaire Perkins and 2022 twins DeMari and Ja'Cari Henderson.

History

IMG National was in town a year ago with three 2019 grads who went to play high major Division I basketball in Armando Bacot (North Carolina), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Villanova) and Josh Green (Arizona) as well Choctaw's Diante Smith (TCU), Orlando Edgewater's Micheal Eads (Appalachian State) and Miami Christian's Diego Rivera (Mercer).

The year prior, 2018 graduate Anthony Edwards made the trip down with his Georgia Holy Spirit Prep group. He is currently thriving at Georgia and is a top 10 pick candidate in the NBA Draft this spring. His teammate Kamani Johnson is at Arkansas Little Rock while other Georgia products from the 2018 Pebblebrook group, Mervin James is at North Alabama and his teammates Jalen Harper (FGCU) and DJ Murray (Incarnate Ward) are also playing in Division I. 2018 Edgewater grad Robert Allen (Samford) is another notable name from the first year tourney.

The Sun Bash has expanded its market by adding Miami to the table this season, running a two-day event (7 games) at Westminster Christian on Dec. 13-14. That event will take place once again next season.

2020 guard Tony Sanders (Gulliver Prep), 2022 forward Greg Glenn (Fort Lauderdale Calvary Christian), 2020 guard Devin Carter (Doral), 2021 forward James Henderson (Westminster Christian), 2023 guard Marvel Allen (Wellington) and Ga’Khari Lacount (Division II Lynn) all played in the Sun Bash Miami.

In 2020-21, the plan is to run Miami, Tampa and Orlando in that order for three events that will help top Florida squads play against one another while getting the most exposure possible through our network and in front of our college coaches.

For more information about the Sun Bash visit sunbashtourney.com.