Video: 2015 MaxPreps Holiday Classic PreviewTop teams from across the country will compete in America's Finest High School Basketball Tournament.
Palm Springs, Calif., is a premier vacation destination, but some of the nation's best high school basketball teams will be making a business trip to the desert oasis in December.
Defending state champions from Georgia, Nevada, Texas and Utah — along with nine of California's top programs — will be part of the field for the 2015 MaxPreps Holiday Classic, scheduled for Dec. 26-30.
Rancho Mirage High School will serve as the primary host, but games will be played in seven venues around the Coachella Valley.
"The MaxPreps Holiday Classic has become the talk of the town," tournament co-director Wayne Merino said of the event, now in its 13th year. "It's a hot ticket, without a doubt among the most desirable high school basketball tournaments for teams and coaches to attend in the country."
Aforementioned 2014-15 state champions
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas),
Jonesboro (Ga.) and
Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) will be among the teams to beat.
Bishop Gorman was recently named one of the Top 10 high school basketball program of the last five years by MaxPreps. Under head coach Grant Rice, the Gaels have captured eight state titles since 2002.
Jonesboro is Georgia's back-to-back Class AAAA state champ and finished last season ranked No. 9 nationally. The Cardinals will be be led by reigning MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year
M.J. Walker.
Prestonwood Christian — the high school home of Los Angeles Laker Julius Randle — won its fourth Texas private school title in the last six seasons in 2014-15. The Lions feature 6-foot-11 center
Schnider Herard, a native of Haiti regarded as a Top 100 prospect by 247Sports.
California Division I state runner-up
Chino Hills is another can't-miss team scheduled to participate in the Classic. Brothers
Lonzo Ball and
LiAngelo Ball are two of the nation's top top guard prospects and both have delivered verbal commitment to UCLA. Lonzo was a state player of the year finalist as a junior after averaging an astounding 24.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game.
The Open Division will also feature elite programs from Florida, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
"We are proud to mark our fifth year as the primary sponsor of the MaxPreps Holiday Classic in Palm Springs," MaxPreps event director Chris Stonebraker said. "The 2015 field is loaded with Top 10 national prospects and storied programs. We can't wait to get them all on the floor for the high school basketball fans in the Coachella Valley."
Past standouts in the event include Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs, 2014-15 NBA Defensive Player of the Year), Stanley Johnson (projected 2015 NBA Draft lottery pick), twin guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison (Kentucky, 2015 NBA Draft entries), Xavier Johnson (Colorado), Katin Reinhardt (USC), Elijah Stewart (USC), Jason Todd (University of Portland), Kendall Williams (Italy Serie A2) and Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall).
Palm Springs and the surrounding Coachella Valley is one of the premier resort destinations in the United States. It's a haven for golf enthusiasts and home to numerous festivals and conventions — including the famed Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival held in nearby Indio.
For additional information, visit
MaxPrepsHolidayClassic.com, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter @MPHolClass or Instagram @maxpreps_holiday_classic. For inquiries and interested teams, contact Rob Hanmer (rob@geartothemax.com) or Wayne Merino (wayne@geartothemax.com).
PARTICIPATING TEAMSMaxPreps Open DivisionAlemany (Mission Hills, Calif.),
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas),
Bountiful (Utah),
Capital Christian (Sacramento, Calif.),
Chino Hills (Calif.),
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.),
Folsom (Calif.),
Jonesboro (Ga.),
Moreau Catholic (Hayward, Calif.),
Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas),
Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.),
Rufus King (Milwaukee, Wis.),
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.),
Seattle Prep (Seattle),
St. Petersburg (Fla.),
Windward (Los Angeles)Dickey's Barbecue Pit DivisionBeverly Hills (Calif.),
Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento, Calif.),
Central (Fresno, Calif.),
Damien (La Verne, Calif.),
Desert Pines (Las Vegas),
El Camino (Oceanside, Calif.),
Franklin (Seattle),
Green Valley (Henderson, Nev.),
JW North (Riverside, Calif.),
King (Riverside, Calif.),
Pinnacle (Phoenix),
Ponderosa (Shingle Springs, Calif.),
Sacramento Country Day (Sacramento, Calif.),
Santa Monica (Calif.),
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.),
St. Mary's (Phoenix)Additional Participants (Pool Play Divisions)California: Academy for Academic Excellence (Apple Valley),
Antelope Valley (Lancaster),
Antioch,
Beckman (Irvine),
Benicia,
Brawley,
Brethren Christian (Huntington Beach),
Cabrillo (Lompoc),
Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo),
Desert Chapel (Palm Springs),
Desert Christian Academy (Bermuda Dunes),
Downey,
Edison (Huntington Beach),
Harvard-Westlake (Studio City),
Hoover (Glendale),
Irvington (Fremont),
Joshua Springs (Yucca Valley),
La Quinta,
Liberty (Madera),
Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga),
Mission Viejo,
Nipomo,
North Hollywood,
Nuview Bridge (Nuevo),
Pacific Hills (Los Angeles),
Pacifica Christian (Santa Monica),
Palm Desert,
Palm Springs,
Palm Valley (Rancho Mirage),
Palo Verde Valley (Blythe),
Rancho Mirage,
Salesian (Los Angeles),
Santiago (Corona),
Shadow Hills (Indio),
Simi Valley,
Sutter,
Thousand Oaks,
Viewpoint (Calabasas, Calif.),
Warren (Downey),
Xavier Prep (Palm Desert)Arizona: Rincon (Tucson),
Saguaro (Scottsdale)Nevada: Palo Verde (Las Vegas),
Sierra Vista (Las Vegas),
YeringtonNew Mexico: Carlsbad,
Cleveland (Rio Rancho),
Grants,
Sandia Prep (Albuquerque)Texas: Dawson,
El Dorado (El Paso)Washington: Glacier Peak (Snohomish, Wash.),
KelsoPLAYERS TO WATCHClass of 2016Lonzo Ball, 6-6, G, Chino Hills | No. 7 247Sports Composite (UCLA)
Travis Bianco, 6-3, G, St. Petersburg
Zach Collins, 6-10, F/C, Bishop Gorman | No. 50 247Sports Composite (Gonzaga)
Shacquille Dawkins, 5-9, G, Alemany
Jordan Ford, 6-0, G, Folsom | No. 178 247Sports Composite
Oscar Frayer, 6-6, G/F, Moreau Catholic | No. 97 247Sports Composite (California)
Leland Green, 6-2, G, Redondo Union | No. 208 247Sports Composite
Daron Henson, 6-8, F, Alemany | No. 158 247Sports Composite
Schnider Herard, 6-10, C, Prestonwood Christian | No. 63 247Sports Composite
Jayce Johnson, 6-11, C, Santa Monica | No. 105 247Sports Composite
Tiegen Jones, 6-1, G, Capital Christian
Jonah Mathews, 6-2, G, Santa Monica | No. 99 247Sports Composite
Class of 2017LiAngelo Ball, 6-5, G, Chino Hills | No. 118 247Sports Composite (UCLA)
Darius Banks, 6-4, G, St. Petersburg | No. 128 247Sports Composite
Jalen Harris, 6-1, G, Windward | No. 123 247Sports Composite
Damari Milstead, 6-2, G, Moreau Catholic | No. 108 247Sports Composite
Aaron Nettles, 5-11, G, Seattle Prep
Charles O'Bannon, 6-4, G, Bishop Gorman | No. 36 247Sports Composite
Jordan Poole, 6-3, G, Rufus King
Kaden Rasheed, 6-1, G, Santa Margarita
Elijah Scott, 6-4, G, Chino Hills
M.J. Walker, 6-5, G, Jonesboro | No. 16 247Sports Composite
Collin Welp, 6-8, F, Seattle Prep
Ryse Williams, 6-3, G, Redondo Union
Class of 2018Jules Bernard, 6-5, G/F, Windward
J'raan Brooks, 6-8, F, Seattle Prep
Zachary Chappell, 6-2, G, Capital Christian
Spencer Freedman, 6-0, G, Santa Monica
K.J. Hymes, 6-9, F, St. Mary's
Shareef O'Neal, 6-7, F, Windward
Jamari Smith, 6-4, F, Jonesboro
Serrel Smith, 6-1, G, St. Petersburg
