From the All-American Championship:
PRINCETON, N.J. – The All-American Championship will once again feature 40 of the best high school boys basketball players in the country in a showcase event scheduled for Sunday, April 1, in New Orleans, La.
“Last year’s inaugural All-American Championship exceeded our expectations,” says Gazelle Group president Rick Giles. “When you look at the players we have attracted, it makes you realize the depth of talent at the high school level. I am proud that we have been able to assemble such a talented group of young men and look forward to an exciting day of basketball.”
In all, 31 seniors and seven juniors have committed to participate in the All-American Championship. The remaining roster positions, as well as the coaching staffs for the event, will be announced shortly.
Two of the five players who have yet to declare where they will attend college are seniors Nerlens Noel, considered by many to be the top-rated senior in the country, and Christopher Obekpa, a 6-8 center who is originally from Nigeria.
A panel of the nation’s most respected media covering high school basketball serves as the selection committee for the All-American Championship: Paul Biancardi (ESPN.com); Eric Bossi (Rivals.com); Frank Burlison (BurlisonOnBasketball.com); Evan Daniels (Scout.com); Clark Francis (Hoop Scoop); Joel Francisco (ESPN.com); Rob Harrington (Prep Stars); Jason Hickman (Max Preps); Jim Hicks (RCS Sports, Houston); Tom Konchalski (High School Basketball Illustrated); and Chris Lawlor (New York Daily News).
The All-American Championship will be held on Sunday, April 1, at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans. The first game of the doubleheader will match the West vs. the East, followed by the North vs. the South. Tip-off is 3:00pm EST (2:00pm CST). Each game will be aired live on ESPN3 with a rebroadcast of the doubleheader beginning at 9:00pm EST on ESPNU.
Tickets for the All-American Championship may be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling TicketMaster (800-745-3000).
The All-American Championship is produced by The Gazelle Group of Princeton, N.J. The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. Gazelle produces numerous nationally-recognized events, such as the 2K Sports Classic, the Legends Classic, the Gotham Classic, and the CBI presented by Zebra Pen. The Gazelle Group is a member of USA Basketball. For more information on The Gazelle Group, please visit www.gazellegroup.com.
