Big Apple Basketball (BAB) will host the 12th Annual Big Apple Basketball Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 17 and Monday, Jan. 19, 2015 at Baruch College in New York City. The invitational features 17 top high school and prep school teams from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ontario, Canada.
The invitational will feature New York City schools, St. Raymond (Bronx), Benjamin Cardozo (Queens), Thurgood Marshall (Manhattan), Cardinal Hayes (Bronx) and Abraham Lincoln (Brooklyn); along with Orangeville Prep (Ontario, Canada), Gill St. Bernard’s (New Jersey), Long Island Lutheran (Long Island), Phelps (Pennsylvania), Saint James (Maryland), St. John’s College High School (Washington, DC), Seton Hall Prep (New Jersey), Genesis Academy (Virginia), South Kent (Connecticut), MacDuffie (Massachusetts), Life Center Academy (New Jersey) and Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains).
Notable players include Thon Maker, (Orangeville Prep – rated #1 Junior in U.S. and Canada), Tyus Battle (Gill St. Bernard’s – Top 15 Junior Nationally), Jordan Tucker (Archbishop Stepinac – Top 20 Sophomore Nationally), Omari Spellman (MacDuffie – Top 25 Junior Nationally), Tremont Waters (South Kent – Top 30 Sophomore Nationally), Josh Hall (Genesis Academy – Top 60 Junior Nationally), Temple Gibbs (Seton Hall Prep – Top 60 Junior Nationally), Justin Robinson (Saint James – Virginia Tech); Amarveer Singh (Thurgood Marshall – Top 80 Junior Nationally), Traci Carter (Life Center – Top 90 Senior Nationally), Devonte Green (Long Island Lutheran – Top 100 Junior Nationally) and Mike Watkins (Phelps – Penn. State); along with several other nationally ranked seniors and juniors.
Locally, Benjamin Cardozo and St. Raymond are all expected to be frontrunners for the New York City championship.
NBA players who participated in the BAB Invitational include: Kemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets); Danny Green (San Antonio Spurs); Lance Stephenson (Charlotte Hornets); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Brandon Knight (Milwaukee Bucks); Dion Waiters (Cleveland Cavaliers); Markieff and Marcus Morris (Phoenix Suns); Steven Adams (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Isaiah Thomas (Phoenix Suns).
Since 2004, the Big Apple Basketball Invitational event has helped over 1,000 student-athletes gain exposure for college scholarships through the event. BAB annually sponsors selected high schools for the showcase and invites college coaches nationally to travel to New York City to scout the student-athletes for scholarship opportunities.
Founded in 1999, Big Apple Basketball is a not-for-profit organization which provides exposure and assists young people in their athletic, educational, professional, and life skill development.
SCHEDULE – SATURDAY, JAN. 17, 2015
12:00 p.m. – Stepinac (NY) vs. Thurgood Marshall Academy (Manhattan)
1:45 p.m. – MacDuffie (MA) vs. Life Center Academy (NJ)
3:30 p.m. – Seton Hall Prep (NJ) vs. Benjamin Cardozo (Queens)
5:15 p.m. – St. John’s College HS (DC) vs. St. Raymond (Bronx)
7:00 p.m. – Orangeville Prep (CAN) vs. Phelps School (PA)
SCHEDULE – MONDAY, JAN. 19, 2015
12:00 p.m. – Cardinal Hayes (Bronx) vs. Abraham Lincoln (Brooklyn)
1:45 p.m. – Genesis Academy (VA) vs. South Kent (CT)
3:45 p.m. – Saint James School (MD) vs. St. Raymond (Bronx)
5:30 p.m. – Gill St. Bernard’s (NJ) vs. L.I. Lutheran (NY)
