The fourth annual 810 Varsity Showcase, Session I tips off this Saturday, January 6 at St. Thomas Aquinas high school.

And yes, the Chiefs playoff game will be shown in the lobby! A watch party of hoops and playoffs!

The early session features two solid matchups of girls programs, traditionally strong with Blue Valley North vs Notre Dame de Sion opening at 10 am, followed by St. James Academy taking on Olathe South, the third-place finisher in 2017.

Boys action heats at up 1 pm. St. James Academy takes on Hogan Prep, last year’s Missouri Class 3 runner-up and No. 11 in the 810 Varsity Top 25. The Rams are strong at guard, led by senior Damien Daniels, who can fill it up quickly.

At 2:30 pm, two of the areas top powers in Class 4 face off with Basehor-Linwood taking on Liberty North, No. 13 in the latest 810 Varsity Top 25. Liberty North made another strong showing with a runner-up finish in the Jewell Classic, while the Bobcats look to surge in the second half with a young cast that will make noise over the next two years – and the rest of 2018.

A battle within the 810 Varsity Top 25 tips off at 4 pm, with No. 6 Liberty taking on No. 7 Blue Valley North. The Blue Jays feature one of the top candidates for KC’s Player of the Year in Jalen Lewis (21.3 ppg), while the Mustangs entered the break as the KBCA’s No. 1 team in Class 6A.

The most exciting game of the day may be at 5:30 pm, Park Hill South vs Blue Valley Northwest. Both teams started the season in the 810 Varsity Top 25, and were in the top 10 of the big class in MO and KS entering the break. While the Panthers slipped in the first round of the Jewell Classic, they feature one of the city’s top backcourts, led by Lamel Robinson (20+ ppg) along with Desi Williams and Saadique Perkins.

The Huskies, which should overtake the top rung atop Kansas Class 6A, feature one of the top frontcourts led by Parker Braun (6-foot-9) and Joseph Pleasant (6-foot-6). Christian Braun (6-foot-5) and Sam Ward help comprise the backcourt.

The girls tilt may be one of the city’s best all year at 7 pm – St. Thomas Aquinas, last year’s Class 5A state champs and No. 1 in Kansas vs Liberty (8-3), which lost in the first round of the Missouri Class 5 state tourney last year but feature Kayel Newland, an Illinois State commit.

The nightcap brings Hayden and KU recruit Zach Harvey to KC to face Aquinas. Harvey, a 6-foot-4 combo guard, now holds 12+ Division I offers including Oklahoma, Ohio State, UCLA, K-State and Kansas. Harvey is ranking 38th overall in the 2019 by Rivals, and third in the country as a combo guard by 247 Sports.

Harvey and senior guard Jett Cantfield comprise a talented and veteran backcourt. Aquinas will be ready with a solid lineup as well, and the home crowd to cap the night with an 8:30 pm tipoff.

810 Varsity Showcase Session I
Saturday, January 6, 2018
St. Thomas Aquinas HS

10a: Blue Valley North vs Notre Dame de Sion (girls)
11:30a: St. James Academy vs Olathe South (girls)
1p: St. James Academy vs Hogan Prep
2:30p: Basehor-Linwood vs Liberty North
4p: Blue Valley North vs Liberty
5:30p: Blue Valley Northwest vs Park Hill South
7p: St. Thomas Aquinas vs Liberty (girls)
8:30p: St. Thomas Aquinas vs Hayden

Home teams in bold

Tickets
Adult: $8
Students: $5

Admission is good for an all-day pass.