Wilmington and East Clinton will play in the 4th annual Ohio Valley Hoops Classic basketball event Dec. 1-2 at the Patriot Center on the campus of Southern State College.
The Hurricane will square off against Campbell Co. (Ky.) 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1. Campbell Co. was 30-5 last season and a regional finalist in the Kentucky state tournament.
The Astros will face Leesburg Fairfield 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2.
Speaking on behalf of Southern State, Dr. J.R. Roush said, “Southern State Community College is excited to once again host the Ohio Valley Hoops Classic. This is an opportunity to watch some high quality teams and players in our 2,500 seat Patriot Center. We hope you not only check out the great match-ups, but also our academic programs and athletic opportunities here at Southern State.”
The event will culminate when long-time rivals Hillsboro and McClain meet on the hardwood for the first time as members of the Frontier Athletic League at 9 p.m. Dec. 2. Lynchburg-Clay and Ripley will square off in a Southern Hills League battle to open the OVHC at 6 p.m. Dec. 1.
The event features four Final Four teams from a year ago as well as the state’s highest rated senior player.
Cincinnati Moeller, the state runner-up in Division I, will face Eastmoor Academy, a Final Four participant in Division II, in a marquee matchup at 7:30 Dec. 2.
Cooper, runner-up in the Kentucky state tournament, takes on an outstanding Hilliard Bradley squad 3 p.m. Dec. 2.
And, Procterville Fairland, a Division III Final Four team from a year ago, moves up a couple divisions to take on the Centerville Elks in the 1:30 game on Dec. 2.
The two currently highest rated individual players will step on the floor Friday night at 9 p.m. when Darius Bazley leads the Princeton Tigers against Samari Curtis and the Xenia Buccaneers. Bazley is currently the state’s No. 1 senior and No. 47 in the ESPN top 100. Curtis is a consensus top five junior in Ohio.
Mason and Springboro, once neighborhood rivals, will face each other for the first time in more than 10 years when they meet at 6 p.m. Saturday. Traditional powers Chaminade Julienne and Linden McKinley get things started at 10:30 a.m. Saturday followed by a Noon showcase between two outstanding Division III teams, Williamsburg and Tipp City Bethel.
For more information on the Ohio Valley Hoops Classic, visit the event’s website www.ohiovalleyhoopsclassic.com.
