October 29, 2022
Spalding Hoophall Classic announces expanded field for girls’ showcase
There is growth on the girls' side of the event, but it still lags behind the boys' showcase
On Oct. 28, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame released the teams and schedule for games for the 2023 Spalding Hoophall Classic. There will be nine girls’ teams and five girls’ games played in the 2023 event, up from the two games that were played this year.
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All of the games will take place at Blake Arena at Springfield College (Mass.) from Jan. 12-16, 2023.
Five recruits from ESPN’s Top 100 for the class of 2023 will participate in addition to four from ESPN’s Super 60 list for the class of 2024. Jadyn Donovan (Duke commit), Breya Cunningham and Jada Williams (Arizona commits) and Khia Miller (East Carolina commit) are among the participants from the class of 2023. Judea Watkins, the top-ranked player in the class, will also participate.
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“The Basketball Hall of Fame is thrilled to host the nation’s top programs in the Birthplace of Basketball for the 21st year,” John L. Doleva, the president and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, said in the press release. “This year, we have one of the most talented fields this showcase has ever seen. We greatly appreciate the support of the fans and our partner Spalding, along with our tremendous hosts at Springfield College and other participating sponsors, for continuing to make this event possible.”
The girls’ field includes teams from high schools in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Virginia, California and Washington, D.C., reflecting a significant expansion from previous tournaments.
However, there will be far greater opportunity for participation on the boys’ side, with over 40 teams from 17 different states competing in 27 games. Ten of the last 11 top picks in the NBA Draft have played in the Hoophall Classic. This year, 34 players from ESPN’s Top 100 list for the class of 2023, 20 from the class of 2024’s Top 60 and five from the class of 2025’s Top 25 will play in the showcase.
Written by Eric Rynston-Lobel
Eric Rynston-Lobel has been a contributor to The Next since August 2022. He covered Northwestern women's basketball extensively in his four years as a student there for WNUR, previously worked as a sports reporter for the Concord Monitor in New Hampshire and now works as a freelancer based in Chicago.
