Two Connecticut girls basketball teams and at least two UConn women's basketball recruits have been selected to compete in the inaugural Panini Hoophall Classic Girls' Showcase on Jan. 15-16 at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The event will feature 15 games over two days, with 21 teams from 11 states and Canada and 44 nationally ranked prospects. Among them are the top two prospects in ESPN's Class of 2027 rankings - Kaleena Smith from Ontario Christian (Calif.) and Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka from the Bullis School (Md.), both of whom received in-home visits from UConn coaches. Their teams are each scheduled to play twice during the showcase, and back-to-back on Jan. 15.
Sacred Heart Academy and Northwest Catholic will compete in the showcase on Saturday, Jan. 16, at Western New England University. This will be the first Hoophall weekend with two full days dedicated to girls basketball. Last year, the original Hoophall Classic at Springfield College devoted one full day to the sport.
Northwest Catholic and Sacred Heart Academy finished second and third, respectively, in the GametimeCT Final Top 10 poll last March. Northwest Catholic defeated Sacred Heart Academy in the CIAC Division I semifinals, then lost in the final to Greenwich.
Sacred Heart Academy plays on Jan. 16 at 10:30 a.m. against Andover (Mass.), and Northwest Catholic follows at noon against DePaul Prep (N.J.).
Tickets for the inaugural Panini Hoophall Classic Girls' Showcase are on sale at etix.com.
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This article originally published at UConn targets, 2 CIAC teams to play in inaugural Hoophall Classic Girls Showcase in Springfield, Mass..