The weather may be cold, but area basketball action is set to heat up this weekend - and all season long.

The third annual 810 Varsity Tipoff Classic set for Saturday, December 1 at Liberty High School. The all-day basketball showcase features six games with traditional powers around the Metro, and is the first of five 810 Varsity events this season.

The Class 6A runner-up, Free State, will face Blue Springs at 2 pm. Lee's Summit West, a winner of 20+ games the last three years, will face Schlagle at 3:30 pm. The Stallions made the Kansas Class 5A state tournament last year.

West returns senior guard Rich Johnson, who averaged 14 ppg last year as the second-leading scorer for the Titans in 2017-18.

Perhaps the biggest game of the night will be Lawrence vs Park Hill South. The Lions - off their fourth straight trip to the Kansas Class 6A state tourney - enter the season at No. 5 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, while Park Hill South is No. 6. 

Lawrence returns a talented senior trio of Brett Chapple, Clarence King and Trey Quartlebaum, as well as sophomore Isaiah Mayo. Park Hill South brings back Nebraska-Omaha commit Lamel Robinson at point guard, and fellow senior running mate Desi Williams in the backcourt.

"This could be a matchup of two state finalists," 810 Varsity's Chad Rader stated. "It definitely will be the top game in the area for the weekend."

For the nightcap, two traditionally top girls teams face off in Lee's Summit West vs Liberty. The Titans finished last year at 19-6, while Liberty finished fourth in the state at 22-8.

Shawnee Mission North faces the Liberty, as the Jays also finished fourth in the Class 5 state tourney a year ago.

Both teams sustained big losses in the offseason, as 6-foot-7 Jarrett Hensley, a preseason 810 Varsity first-team selection, transferred to Leavenworth. Liberty lost a talented senior cast, notably all-time leading scorer guard Jalen Lewis.

However, the nightcap has always been a thriller in the 810 Varsity Tipoff Classic. Liberty beat SM North in the inaugural event, 62-56, then lost on a buzzer-beating layup from Free State, 75-73, last year.

"The lineup is always pretty evenly matched and has very good games to watch - or compete in," said Liberty high coach Roger Stirtz. "It's fun to host such an event to start off the season."

810 Varsity's Tipoff Classic
Saturday, Dec 1, 2018
Liberty High School

12 pm: Maranatha vs St. Pius X  
2 pm: Free State vs Blue Springs
3:30 pm: Schlagle vs Lee’s Summit West
5 pm: Lawrence vs Park Hill South
6:30 pm: Lee’s Summit West vs Liberty (girls)
8 pm: SM North vs Liberty 

Home team in bold