Ten boys’ teams and five girls’ teams comprise the field for the 2021 West Kentucky Hoops Classic, which will be played Dec. 27-28 at Caldwell County’s CAB gym.
The event draws high school basketball teams from several states to compete in Princeton, but Hoops Classic organizer Torey Hammett says a local matchup will help highlight this year’s event.
Six states will be represented in this year’s Hoops Classic, with two from Mississippi. Biggersville, from near Corinth, won the state Class 1A championship last year on a buzzer beater. The Lions join the Class 5A Holmes County Central Jaguars from Lexington, Miss.
Two Tennessee teams will take part. Webb School from Bell Buckle, just south of Murfreesboro, will make a return trip to the West Kentucky Hoops Classic. The Feet, who visited Princeton in 2018, went 20-9 last season. Meanwhile, Class 3A Arlington, from near Memphis, will play in the Hoops Classic for the first time, although several teams from the Memphis area have played in the event previously. The Arlington Tigers were 19-6 last season.
The Huffman Vikings, a Class 6A team from near Birmingham will represent Alabama. Huffman posted a 22-5 record last season.
Class 5A Marion, Ark., is in the Hoops Classic for the first time. The Patriots were 18-4 last year.
The Class 4A Clyde C. Miller Career Academy from St. Louis will represent Missouri. The Phoenix went 8-6 last season.
Three Kentucky teams are in the field. Besides host Caldwell County and Lyon County, Murray High will take part. Murray was scheduled to be in last year’s event, which was canceled because of COVID-19. Lyon went 22-4 a year ago while Murray was 17-8 and Caldwell 8-16.
Hammett says schools are usually curious about all of the incentives being offered to play in the Hoops Classic. That includes a team breakfast with a guest speaker prior to the games on the second day.
For the girls, Caldwell County, Lyon County, Hickman County and Daviess County will be joined by Biggersville, Miss.
Lyon was 17-8 a year ago while Caldwell went 8-12. Hickman was 16-6 and Daviess 8-12.
The Biggersville girls went 18-9 last year. Cliff Little is head coach of both the boys’ and girls’ teams at the school.
The West Kentucky Hoops Classic will feature 15 games over two days.
Complete pairings will be set at a later date.
