Go ahead and circle Jan. 14 on your calendar because the two 7-footers will go head-to-head for the second time in a year when Ayton and Hillcrest Prep (AZ) face Bamba and Westtown School (PA) in the Spalding Hoophall Classic. (The game will likely be televised on the ESPN networks.)
When they first met last April at the Nike EYBL stop in Brooklyn, Bamba went for 13 points, 12 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks to lead his PSA Cardinals (N.Y.) to a 69-68 win over Ayton’s Cal Supreme (Calif.) squad. Ayton, who was battling a leg injury and has since committed to Arizona, tallied seven points and nine rebounds.
As usual, the event features a Who’s Who of national power like Oak Hill Academy, Montverde Academy, La Lumiere Academy and Brewter Academy, as well as a slew of powerhouse New York and New Jersey teams.
Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, starring Temple-bound point guard Nate Pierre-Louis and 2018 big man Naz Reid, face Weaver (CT) on Jan. 14.
Archbishop Molloy (N.Y.), which features the trio of Moses Brown, Khalid Moore and Cole Anthony, faces St. Anthony (TX) on Jan. 14.
On Jan. 15, Blair (N.J.) Academy, which has four Division 1 players in Deng Gak (Miami), Matt Turner (Santa Clara), Zach Kent (Tennessee) and Anthony Mack (undecided), faces Arizona State-bound Kimani Lawrence and New Hampton (N.H.).
On Jan 16., Howard-bound point guard R.J. Cole and St. Anthony’s (N.J.) face John Petty and Jemison (AL). Petty is down to Alabama and Kentucky and announces Nov. 10.
Also on Monday, Nick Richards and The Patrick School face Wendell Carter Jr. and Pace Academy (GA). Richards is considering Kentucky, Syracuse and Arizona, while Carter Jr. is mulling Duke, Harvard, Georgia and Georgia Tech.
The full schedule for the Hoophall is below via USA Today. And here’s a good list of the Top 5 games to watch via Jason Jordan of USA Today.
Thursday, Jan. 12 (Boys)
- Easthampton (Mass.) vs. Ellington (Conn.), 3 p.m.
- Hopkins (Mass.) vs. Palmer (Mass.), 4:30 p.m.
- Sabis Charter (Mass.) vs. Taconic (Mass.), 6 p.m.
- East Longmeadow (Mass.) vs. Pope Francis (Mass.), 7:30 p.m.
- Springfield (Mass.) Central vs. Putnam (Mass.), 9 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 13 (Girls)
- Granby (Mass.) vs. South Hadley (Mass.), 3 p.m.
- Chicopee Comp (Mass.) vs. Holyoke (Mass.), 4:30 p.m.
- Braintree (Mass.) vs. Enfield (Conn.), 6 p.m.
- Bishop Feehan (Mass.) vs. Long Beach (Calif.) Poly, 7:30 p.m.
- Springfield (Mass.) Central vs. Neumann-Goretti (Pa.), 9 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14 (Boys)
- Weaver (Conn.) vs. Roselle Catholic (N.J.), noon
- Notre Dame (Conn.) vs. Hudson Catholic (Texas), 1:30 p.m.
- Archbishop Molloy (N.Y.) vs. St. Anthony (Texas), 3 p.m.
- DeMatha Catholic (Md.) vs. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 4:30 p.m.
- Cambridge Rindge and Latin (Mass.) vs. Crossroads School (Calif.), 6 p.m.
- Westtown School (Pa.) vs. Hillcrest Academy, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 15 (Boys)
- New Hampton School (N.H.) vs. Blair Academy (N.J.), 9 a.m.
- Brewster Academy (N.H.) vs. Montverde Academy (Fla.), 10:45 a.m.
- Putnam Science Academy (Conn.) vs. Vermont Academy, 12:30 p.m.
- IMG Academy vs. Wasatch Academy (Utah), 2:15 p.m.
- Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) vs. Greensboro Day School (N.C.), 4 p.m.
- Commonwealth Academy (Mass.) vs. Cushing Academy (Mass.), 5:45 p.m.
- MacDuffie School (Mass.) vs. Wilbraham and Monson Academy (Mass.), 7:30 p.m.
- Suffield Academy (Conn.) vs. Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.), 9:15 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 16 (Boys)
- St. Anthony (N.J.) vs. Jemison (Ala.), 9 a.m.
- The Patrick School (N.J.) vs. Pace Academy (Ga.), 11 a.m.
- Oak Hill (Va.) vs. Nathan Hale (Wash.), 1 p.m.
- Montverde Academy (Fla.) vs. Bishop Montgomery (Calif.), 3 p.m.
- La Lumiere School (Ind.) vs. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 5 p.m.
- Springfield Central (Mass.) vs. Hillhouse (Conn.), 7 p.m.
