The Ohio Valley Hoops Classic basketball showcase will again return to Hillsboro this winter with games being played Friday night November 30th and Saturday, December 1 at the Hillsboro High School gymnasium. And once again, fans will be able to see several local teams share the court with some of Ohio and Kentucky’s most outstanding teams and players.
The highest profile individual players include commits to Xavier, UC, and West Virginia. 6'10" senior Dieonte Miles of Walton Verona has agreed to play at Xavier, while Xenia's 6'4 senior Samari Curtis will play for the UC Bearcats. In fact, the two will get their first taste of playing against each other when Walton Verona squares off against Xenia at noon on Saturday.
Moeller's Miles McBride will play next year for Bobby Huggins at WVU. McBride and the defending state champion Moeller Crusaders will take on Kentucky power Lexington Bryan Station at 1:45 on Saturday afternoon.
Five-time state champion Dayton Dunbar returns to the Ohio Valley Hoops Classic when they take on Lakota East in the Friday night event opener. Campbell County, who reached last year's Elite 8 in Kentucky, returns to face Walnut Ridge which features a pair of highly touted juniors in 6'6" Von Cameron-Davis and point guard Qian Magwood. In a battle between GWOC and GMC powers the Mason Comets tangle with Sidney to close out the event on Saturday night.
Several local teams will also appear. The Hillsboro Indians will play both nights this year. On Friday night Hillsboro renews on old SCOL rivalry when they take on the Wilmington Hurricane. Then on Saturday night the Indians face a Kentucky foe when Maysville St. Patrick comes to town.
In another local rivalry game the McClain Tigers under first-year coach Joe Stewart take on the East Clinton Astros. The Blanchester Wildcats will tangle with Beechwood out of Northern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon. These teams feature a pair of highly regarded sophomores; 6'3" guard Braden Sipple of Blanchester and 6'3" Scotty Draud of Beechwood. Draud is a concensus top five sophomore in Kentucky and he is the son of former Vanderbilt star Scott Draud.
Ticket information on the event will be released later. For complete information and sponsorship opportunities fans can log in to the website at: www.ohiovalleyhoopsclassic.com