With the start of high school basketball practice just around the corner, plans for the 13th annual High School Holiday Hoops are underway.
A total of 59 Missouri and Iowa high schools will participate in the annual event held on the campus of North Central Missouri College in Trenton. Games begin on December 18th and conclude on Dec 30th with 10 days of play scheduled. Ten new schools have been added this year with some appearing for the first time while others return after an absence.
Making up the field of 106 teams this year as newcomers are Chilhowee, Drexel, Excelsior Springs, Marceline, Oak Grove, Orrick, and Scotland County at Memphis. Returning after an absence are Prairie Home, Schuyler County at Queen City and St. Joseph Lafayette whose boys will participate along with their girls who have been a regular participant.
Returning again this year are Adair County at Brashear, Braymer, Bucklin-Macon County, Cameron, Carrollton, Chillicothe, East Harrison, Gallatin, Gilman City, Grain Valley, Green City, Grundy R-5, and Hale. Others are Hardin-Central, Higbee, Hillsboro, Keytesville, King City, LaPlata, Lathrop, Lawson, Lexington, Marshall, Maryville, Meadville, Milan, Norborne, North Andrew at Rosendale, North Harrison, North Mercer, Odessa, and Pattonsburg. Completing the list of participants are Penney at Hamilton, Polo, Princeton, Richmond, Rock Port, Savannah, Smithville, Southwest Livingston, South Harrison, South Holt at Oregon, both Benton and Central of St. Joseph, Tina-Avalon, Trenton, Tri-County at Jamesport and Warrensburg. Des Moines North returns as the lone out of state school this year.
Holiday Hoops is sponsored by the North Central Missouri College Foundation and is sanctioned by the Missouri State High School Activities Association along with the Iowa Association and the National Federation of High School Associations.
The complete schedule of play will be released soon.
