8 Can’t Miss Events

<p>The official start of the upcoming high school basketball season is drawing nearer with each day that goes by. The Prep Hoops Staff has already begun providing comprehensive preview content in preparation. Here is a brief look at 8 can't miss events you can find in the upcoming season throughout the DC Metro Area.</p> <h5>SLEEPY THOMPSON</h5> <p><strong>Venue(s)</strong>: St. Stephen's &amp; St. Agnes School (VA) </p> <p><strong>Date(s)</strong>: December 5-7, 2019</p> <p><strong>Rundown</strong>: Is there a better way to kick off the season than at the Sleepy Thompson? Probably not. The entire community is super involved with the event and that makes it even more fun. College coaches flock to this tournament annually and for good reason. Several big-time college prospects, including <strong>Henry Coleman</strong>, <strong>Quincy Allen</strong>, <strong>EJ Jarvis</strong>, <strong>Charles Thompson</strong>, <strong>Luka Garza</strong>, <strong>Justin Lewis</strong>, <strong>Brendan Adams</strong>, <strong>George Mawanda-Kalema</strong> and <strong>Javin</strong> <strong>DeLaurier</strong>, have starred at this event in recent years. <a href="https://www.sssas.org/signature-events/sleepy-thompson-basketball"><strong>The event website will soon give us a clear idea of who will be participating in this year's event</strong></a>.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/AyalewAdam/status/1070811012356628483</p> <h5>NATIONAL HOOP FEST</h5> <p><strong>Venue(s)</strong>: DeMatha Catholic High School (MD)</p> <p><strong>Date(s)</strong>: December 7-8, 2019</p> <p><strong>Rundown</strong>: This event needs no introduction as it's become a staple for college coaches along with local and national media alike. If you're a hoops fan in the area, look no further than DeMatha for your entertainment needs in early December. In recent years, we've witnessed dazzling performances from guys like <strong>Collin Sexton</strong>, <strong>Cam Reddish</strong>, <strong>Jared Bynum</strong>, <strong>Anthony Edwards</strong>, and <strong>Hamidou Diallo </strong>just to name a few. Details on the teams confirmed for this year's event are expected to be released in the next couple of weeks.</p> <p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HF3MaiXL1g</p> <h5>GONZAGA CLASSIC</h5> <p><strong>Venue(s)</strong>: Gonzaga College High School (DC)</p> <p><strong>Date(s)</strong>: December 13-15, 2019</p> <p><strong>Rundown</strong>: This has been a wonderful event to attend considering the nice blend of local and out-of-area talent you can catch. Last year, <strong>Eric Dixon</strong> and Abingdon stunned everyone by knocking off Gonzaga in the opening round before ultimately winning the tournament. In the past, we've also seen the likes of <strong>Cole Anthony</strong>, <strong>Moses Brown</strong>, <strong>DJ Steward</strong>, <strong>Collin Gillespie</strong>, <strong>Seth Lundy</strong>, and many more at this event. <a href="http://www.gonzagadcclassic.org/"><strong>Check out the event website for the list of this year's committed teams</strong></a>. </p> <p>https://youtu.be/OCBNl5_pMAk</p> <h5>MORE THAN BASKETBALL EVENTS</h5> <p><strong>Venue(s)</strong>: Trinity Washington University (DC), Landon School (MD), St. Frances Academy (MD), Riverdale Baptist (MD)</p> <p><strong>Date(s)</strong>: December 2-5, December 20-23, January 11</p> <p><strong>Rundown</strong>: <a href="https://theundefeated.com/features/arize-ifejika-more-than-basketball-make-sports-well-rounded/"><strong>Arize Ifejika has done an outstanding job of organizing events in the DC area for a while now</strong></a>, and the lineup of events he's assembled this year looks intriguing. <a href="https://www.monumentalsportsnetwork.com/videos/poly-stjohns-stjohns-invitational"><strong>This matchup between Poly and St. John's last year was an instant classic</strong></a>. We're looking forward to seeing exactly what will be in store for this series of fixtures.</p> <h5>DMV TIP-OFF</h5> <p><strong>Venue(s)</strong>: North Point High School (MD)</p> <p><strong>Date(s)</strong>: December 21, 2019</p> <p><strong>Rundown</strong>: One of the best parts of this event, besides the wonderful hospitality room, is the fact that you can see a wide assortment of local talent from DC, Maryland, and Virginia in one setting. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2jj87Ch4rS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link"><strong>This year's event features a competitive slate of games</strong> </a>headlined by what should be a great matchup between St. John's vs. Rock Creek Christian. This will be one last opportunity to watch unsigned senior lead guard <strong>DeLonnie Hunt</strong> to go against his former school.</p> <h5>MABC</h5> <p><strong>Venue(s)</strong>: Maret School (DC)</p> <p><strong>Date(s)</strong>: December 21, 2019</p> <p><strong>Rundown</strong>: The MABC is a relatively new showcase, but it was a hit last year and is once again looking like a can't-miss affair. One will be able to catch several teams that might be unfamiliar to those not from this area all in one day. <a href="https://www.highleveldc.com/"><strong>You can view the full schedule by clicking here</strong></a>.</p> <h5>IAC/MAC CHALLENGE</h5> <p><strong>Venue(s)</strong>: St. Andrew's Episcopal School (MD)</p> <p><strong>Date(s)</strong>: January 4, 2019</p> <p><strong>Rundown</strong>: This event pits teams from two of the area's best basketball conferences against each other in a one-day challenge. Last year at Bullis, both gyms were utilized and one was able to go back-and-forth between games, which was splendid. No breaks between action and non-stop competitive basketball from start to finish. This season, the event will be held at St. Andrew's, where there are also two gyms that could potentially be utilized. </p> <h5>PG CHALLENGE</h5> <p><strong>Venue(s)</strong>: Fairmont Heights High School (MD)</p> <p><strong>Date(s)</strong>: February 14-15, 2019</p> <p><strong>Rundown</strong>: Prince Georges County is regarded as the primary hotbed for talent in this area, and the coaches have decided to showcase this talent right in their back yard. What better way to get a feel for some of the county's top prospects than to attend this event? </p> <p>https://twitter.com/MarcusHelton/status/1176529713512230912</p>