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Top 10 ‘Turkey Time’ high school basketball events for 2014

November 27, 2014 by MaxPreps, AZPreps365


Photo by Nicholas Koza

Ivan Rabb of Bishop O'Dowd and Zach Collins of Bishop Gorman will do battle once again this season, this time at the NorCal Tip-Off.

High school football playoffs are in full swing, but the extended Thanksgiving weekend is also the unofficial tip for basketball season around the country.

Here's our look at some of the biggest turkey time hoops happenings:

Bluegrass Showcase | Nov. 28-29, Dec. 1 | Lexington, Ky.
Main dish: There's been some early buzz that Orangeville Prep of Canada may be the best high school basketball team in North America. Prime Prep (Dallas) and Quality Education Academy (Winston-Salem, N.C.) will put Thon Maker and company to the test in Lexington.
Side dishes: No. 9 Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.), No. 4 La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.), Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.), No. 6 Huntington St. Joseph Prep (W.Va.), Prolific Prep Academy (Napa, Calif.), Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.).

Charlotte Hoops Challenge | Nov. 28-29 | Charlotte, N.C.
Main dish: Fresh off a big win over Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.), North Carolina Tar Heel signee Luke Maye and Hough (Cornelius, N.C.) will tangle with Providence Day (Charlotte, N.C.), which has already taken two preseason Top 25 teams to the wire.
Side dishes: Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Lake Norman, West Oaks (Orlando, Fla.).

Coventry Health Tournament of Champions | Nov. 25-29 | Washington, Ill.
Main dish: Twenty-two teams will compete in four separate brackets. The most intriguing action from a national perspective comes in the Team Works National Classic, where No. 15 Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Beach, Va.) will be challenged by Potter's House Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.), St. Louis Christian Academy and Westtown (Pa.).
Side dishes: Carver (Montgomery, Ala.), Lakeview (Campti, La.), Neenah (Wis.).

Holiday Hoopsgiving | Nov. 28-29 | Atlanta
Main dish: Junior phenom Joshua Langford and Madison Academy (Ala.) will face unbeaten Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.).
Side dishes: Northside Christian Academy (Charlotte, N.C.), Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah).

Hoophall West | Nov. 25-28 | Scottsdale, Ariz.
Main dish: Defending Arizona state champs Corona del Sol (Tempe) and Shadow Mountain (Phoenix) headline an eight-team bracket.
Side dishes: Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Pinnacle (Phoenix), Gilbert (Ariz.).

Hoopsgiving Classic | Nov. 26 | Houston
Main dish: De'Aaron Fox and Cypress Lakes (Katy, Texas) will take on perennial power Yates (Houston) in the nightcap.
Side dishes: Fort Bend Bush (Richmond, Texas), Prime Prep, Triple A Academy (Dallas).

Lighthouse Thanksgiving Classic | Nov. 28-29 | Corinth, Miss.
Main dish: The Lighthouse will feature the saucy Saturday night pairing of six-time Georgia state champion Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) against Malik Newman and three-time defending Mississippi champ Callaway (Jackson, Miss.).
Side dishes: Provine (Jackson, Miss.), Madison Prep Academy (Baton Rouge, La.), Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.), Velma Jackson (Camden, Miss.).

NorCal Tip-Off Classic | Nov. 29 | Newark, Calif.
Main dish: Organizer Gerry Freitas put together a blockbuster to open the season for two nationally ranked powers, as No. 7 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) will face No. 11 Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.). The teams met last December in the semifinal of the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas with O'Dowd coming away with a convincing win.
Side dishes: Folsom (Calif.), Moreau Catholic (Hayward, Calif.).

Rumble on the Ridge | Nov. 28-30 | Forrest City, Ark.
Main dish: In the 18th installment of arguably the south's best early-season tournament, No. 24 North Little Rock (Ark.) hopes to bolster its resume against a quality field in Forrest City.
Side dishes: Hoover (Ala.), Jackson South Side (Tenn.).

Texas Jamboree | Nov. 28-29 | Bellaire, Texas
Main dish: Eighteen games over two days are highlighted by defending Class 5A state champion North Shore (Houston) – ranked No. 23 nationally – taking on McDonald's Texas Invitational winner Atascocita (Humble, Texas).
Side dishes: Lancaster (Texas), Victory Prep (Houston), Westbury Christian (Houston).

Thanksgiving Hoopfest | Nov. 28-29 | Duncanville, Texas
Main dish: Defending Texas 4A champ Kimball (Dallas) looks to defend its home turf against Putnam City West (Oklahoma City), which went 26-3 en route to Oklahoma's Class 6A title game in 2013-14.
Side dishes: DeSoto (Texas), Hall (Little Rock, Ark.), Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas).