Starting on Jan. 16, fans will pack themselves into Springfield College’s Blake Arena for the 23rd annual Hoophall Classic.
The event spans five days, with high school basketball teams from around the country showcasing their talent. Most teams play one game, and a few play two. Thursday and Friday feature mostly local teams, with a Connecticut or Massachusetts team playing in all six of Thursday’s games. A big part of the fan intrigue is the amount of talent at Hoophall, as a combined 73 ranked boys and girls according to ESPN’s rankings will play on James Naismith court this winter.
Matchups are a key part of Hoophall, which will feature star-studded games throughout the long weekend. Boys games such as Montverde Academy (FL) vs. Oak Hill Academy (VA), La Lumiere School (IN) vs. Wasatch Academy (UT), Long Island Lutheran (NY) vs. Arizona Compass Prep (AZ), Montverde Academy (FL) vs. Utah Prep (UT) and Christopher Columbus High School (FL) vs. Perry High School (AZ) highlight the event. Also, girls games like Island Lutheran (NY) vs. IMG Academy (FL) and Etiwanda High School (CA) vs. Incarnate Word (MO) are sure to excite those in attendance or watching at home. To that end, both of those girls’ games will be nationally televised.
This kind of exposure can have a significant impact on the futures of these young athletes. Nine of the last 13 first overall draft picks in the NBA have played at Hoophall, and so far have boasted 63 NBA players that played at Hoophall in high school. Players like Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Karl Anthony Towns and Zion Williamson top that list. AJ Dybantsa, ESPN’s number one player in the 2025 class, will play on Sunday, Jan. 19 at Hoophall, with Utah Prep against Montverde Academy. Dybantsa recently committed to Brigham Young University, and played in Hoophall last year with Prolific Prep.
The Hoophall Classic not only brings light to players on the court, but also the staff off of the court. Springfield College has over two hundred staffers consisting of sport management students, communications/sport journalism students for media, as well as Harvest Table’s staff. That total does noteven include the dozens of media outlets that come to Blake Arena throughout the event.
Kathy Smith, Springfield College’s Director of Conferences and Special Events, has led Hoophall’s planning for 23 years and knows how much effort is put into the event.
“We’re only not thinking about [Hoophall] once or twice a year,” Smith said. “We’re thinking about it all 52 weeks of the year.”
One of the best parts about Hoophall is the ability to buy tickets for a session or even an entire day. Because of the demand for Saturday and Sunday games, organizers split it into two sessions. Thursday is $10 for the entire day, and the next four days are $30, with two separate entry times on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets can be purchased on Hoophall’s website at Hoophall.com.