The Gazelle Group announced the launch of a high school boys basketball invitational tournament – the All-American Championship – which will take place annually during the Final Four weekend.
“This is an idea whose time has come,” said Rick Giles, president of The Gazelle Group. “The nation’s focus is on basketball during March and the first weekend of April and there is no better way to increase that focus than to bring the nation’s best high school basketball players to the city of the men’s collegiate basketball championship to compete in what will be one of the premier events of its kind in the country.”
ESPN traditionally runs its High School National Invitational this same weekend.
The inaugural All-American Championship will be held in suburban Houston, site of the men’s collegiate basketball championship, on April 1 and 3, 2011. The event will consist of four teams representing each region of the country. Each team will play a semifinal round game on Friday, April 1 with the consolation and championship games taking place on Sunday, April 3.
All games will be played at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center, a 6,400-seat arena in Aldine, Texas. In addition, the event will establish a cultural and educational program for the participants.
High school juniors and seniors can register for consideration for the All-American Championship by logging onto the event’s website – www.allamericanchampionship.com.
A panel of high school basketball experts, which will be announced at a later date, will review all candidates and select the teams. Each team will be coached by a head coach of a nationally-prominent high school program and assisted by a coach from the host city of the men’s collegiate basketball championship (Houston in 2011).
Ray Cella, a spokesman for Gazelle, said the coaches have not yet been chosen.
“National interest in high school basketball and recruiting is at an all-time high,” said Giles. “With the proliferation of television coverage and recruiting websites and magazines, fans are more aware than ever of the premier high school players. This is an opportunity for these players to showcase their talent on the biggest stage in the country.”
