SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Hosted at Springfield College, which locals and staffers proudly claim as the “birthplace” of college hoops, the Hoophall Classic annually showcases some of the national’s elite high school basketball programs. The event’s luminous list of NBA alumni give it a history of its own. For the second consecutive year, I spent three days (Jan. 14–16) evaluating a significant number of bluechip prospects. Whenever that much talent (11 of this year’s 24 McDonald’s All-Americans) passes through one gym, it’s worth noting some key takeaways.
Bamba, Reddish prove tourney’s most talented duo
Saturday night’s primo tilt pitted two powerhouse teams, defending Pennsylvania state champion the Westtown School and Hillcrest Prep, an Arizona-based basketball factory.