The basketball season is around the corner, and so are the 810 Varsity Showcases.

810 Varsity will host four full-day basketball events during the 2021-22 season - two in Kansas and two in Missouri. 

The events will be: 
- December 18, Shawnee Mission Northwest
- January 8, St. Thomas Aquinas
- January 15, Staley
- February 5, Lee's Summit West

Due to a scheduling conflict with Avila athletics, the annual event will not be held at Avila's Mabee Center this year. But 810 Varsity hopes to have the event back in upcoming years.

As always, the events will feature some of the top matchups between Metro teams, as well as regional teams. 

The biggest may be a possible matchup of the top two teams in Missouri when Staley faces CBC (St. Louis) on January 15.

Also among the bigger matchups will be Park Hill South vs Shawnee Mission Northwest, and also the Panthers facing Free State. Both of the Kansas schools should be ranked in the top 3 in Kansas Class 6A.

The events will feature some notable area head coaches in their new digs, including North Kansas City's Ed Fritz, Blue Valley Northwest's Aaron Ihm and Raytown South's Reggie Morris.

And of course, the events will feature the area's top players such as Kayden Fish and Kyan Evans (Staley), Mozae Downing-Rivers (Free State) and Damare Smith (Shawnee Mission Northwest) as well as Grace Slaughter (Grain Valley), Beatrice Culliton (St. Thomas Aquinas) and Aubrey Shaw (Blue Valley North). Nine of the 810 Varsity preseason Top 10 also will be in the events.

The games will also be broadcast online, and 1-2 events also likely will be televised on Spectrum Sports.

"It will be a lot of great games and the area's top players for area basketball fans to watch," 810 Varsity's Chad Rader stated. "It's also a relief to get back to what should be events lighter on COVID restrictions, and back to fun events."

810 VARSITY BASKETBALL SHOWCASES

810 Varsity Showcase 24
Saturday, December 18
Shawnee Mission Northwest

10 am: Basehor-Linwood vs Barstow (girls)
11:30 am: Piper vs Shawnee Misison North (boys)
1 pm: St. James Academy vs Park Hill South (girls)
2:30 pm: St. James Academy vs North Kansas City (boys)
4 pm: Blue Valley vs McPherson (girls)
5:30 pm: Basehor-Linwood vs McPherson (boys)
7 pm: SM Northwest vs St. Teresa's Academy (girls)
8:30 pm: SM Northwest vs Park Hill South (boys)

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810 Varsity Showcase 25
Saturday, January 8
St. Thomas Aquinas HS

11:30 am: Baldwin vs St. Michael's the Archangel (girls)
1 pm: Olathe South  vs Center (boys)
2:30 pm: Blue Valley North vs Derby (girls)
4 pm: Blue Valley North vs Derby (boys)
5:30 pm: Free State vs Park Hill South (boys)
7 pm: St. Thomas Aquinas vs Park Hill South (girls)
8:30 pm: St. Thomas Aquinas vs Lee's Summit West (boys)

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810 Varsity Showcase 26
Saturday, January 15
Staley High School

2 pm: Lincoln Prep vs Bishop Miege (girls)
3:30 pm: Park Hill South vs TBD (boys)
5 pm: Park Hill vs Blue Valley Northwest (boys)
6:30 pm: Staley vs St. James Academy (girls)
8 pm: Staley vs CBC (boys)

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810 Varsity Showcase 27
Saturday, February 5
Lee's Summit West HS

10 am: Truman vs Piper (girls)
11:30 am: Barstow vs Piper (boys)
1 pm: Blue Springs vs Grain Valley (girls)
2:30 pm: Lincoln Prep vs St. Thomas Aquinas (girls)
4 pm: Lincoln Prep vs Raytown South (boys)
5:30 pm: Lee's Summit vs Blue Valley West (boys)
7 pm: Lee's Summit West vs Blue Valley North (girls)
8:30 pm: Lee's Summit West vs Park Hill (boys)