One of the biggest events of the prep basketball season is the Highland Shootout, which will be held on Saturday at Highland (Illinois) High School. The eight-game hoops extravaganza features players and teams from both sides of the river, including a dozen players who are currently ranked nationally.
The featured game of the evening will be a showdown between defending Illinois Class 4A state champion Belleville West against Missouri state powerhouse Vashon at 8:30 p.m. The Maroons and Wolverines will close the event in an 8:15 p.m. tip off.
Here is a look at the lineup for the Highland Shootout:
Game 1: East St. Louis vs. Highland (girls), 8:30 a.m.
Game 2: Normal West (Illinois) vs. Edwardsville, 10 a.m.
Game 3: Nashville (Illinois) vs. Effingham (Illinois), 11:30 a.m. – Undefeated Nashville has one of the top small school teams in Illinois while Effingham has an excellent offensive player in senior Landon Wolfe.
Game 4: Bloomington (Illinois) vs. East St. Louis, 1 p.m. – This game features two of the premiere athletes in the state of Illinois as East St. Louis features 6’7” forward Terrance Hargrove, Jr., a Saint Louis U. signee. Bloomington is led by 6’6” forward Chris Payton, who is headed to Southern Illinois.
Game 5: Poplar Bluff vs. Highland, 3 p.m. – The host Highland Bulldogs are a big team led by 6’4” Iowa football recruit Sam LaPorta and 6’9” senior forward Stephen Torre. Poplar Bluff is led by the brother duo of 6’3” Dominique Hardimon and 5’11” sophomore Jo Jo Hardimon.
Game 6: CBC vs. Rock Bridge, 4:45 p.m. – A battle of Missouri state powers features Rock Bridge and its terrific trio of Isiaih Mosley, Jamonta Black and Dajuan Harris. CBC will counter with highly touted junior guard Caleb Love and senior forward Josh Wallace.
Game 7: Chaminade vs. Milwaukee Nicolet (WI), 6:30 p.m. – Local powerhouse Chaminade has a dynamic scoring duo in 6’2” senior Keyyaun Batchman and 6’5” junior sharpshooter Luke Kasubke. Nicolet has one of the top teams in Wisconsin and they have one of the nation’s top players in 6’7” junior Jalen Johnson along with 6’9” junior Jamari Sibley.
Game 8: Belleville West vs. Vashon, 8:15 p.m. – The game of the night features senior All-American forward and Ohio State signee EJ Liddell of Belleville West along with talented teammates Lawrence Brazil III and Illinois football recruit Terrance Randolph Jr. Vashon is led by 6’2” Mizzou recruit Mario McKinney, rising 6’7” junior forward Cam’Ron Fletcher and 6’2” University of Portland signee Donyae McCaskill.
Congratulations to the Holiday Tournament Champions
Boys: Coaches vs. Cancer (Webster Groves); Legends of Winter (Cardinal Ritter), MICDS (Trinity); Affton (Priory), Collinsville (Springfield Southeast), St. Dominic (Sikeston); Public High League (St. Louis Collegiate)
Girls: Visitation (Incarnate Word), St. Dominic (Francis Howell Central), Mascoutah (O’Fallon), MICDS (Ladue)
