Expanded Hoophall West features 16 games over three days in Scottsdale

There are more teams, an extra day, and more star quality coming to Chaparral High School in Scottsdale for the annual Hoophall West, a basketball showcase of the best local and national talent.

This is the fifth year for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame showcase in the Valley and the first time it is running three days.

In the last four years, the showcase ran for two days. This is the fourth straight year that Chaparral will be hosting.

"It's the biggest in regards to the number of teams and the most anticipated," said Marc Beasley, a volunteer consultant who worked with Hoophall West to get the teams.

To end the weekend, on Sunday, high school hoops will give way to college with the inaugural Jerry Colangelo Classic at Talking Stick Resort Arena, a basketball double-header featuring three teams ranked among the nation's top seven: Grand Canyon will play No. 6-ranked Nevada at 3:30 p.m, after No. 1 Gonzaga takes on No. 7 Tennessee at 1.

"If you're an amateur basketball fan, you've got high school for three days and college on Sunday," Beasley said.

The most anticipated HoopHall game on Thursday involves Phoenix Pinnacle (6-1 and ranked No. 1 in the azcentral sports Super 10) and San Joaquin Memorial out of California. It's a matchup featuring marque players: Pinnacle senior point guard Nico Mannion and San Joaquin junior Jalen Green.

Green is rated by recruiting services as the No. 1 player in the nation in the 2020 class. Mannion, who has committed to Arizona, is considered the nation's top senior point guard.

That game will start at 7 p.m. and be televised by ESPN2, part of a daylong package of top high school games across the nation that the station is televising.

Pinnacle's 76-59 loss on Tuesday night at Phoenix Mountain Pointe came four days after Pinnacle ended Phoenix Shadow Mountain's 73-game winning streak against Arizona opponents on Friday night with Mannion's long, contested buzzer-beating 3-pointer giving the Pioneers an 82-80 win.

Mannion had 37 points in that game, 26 in the second half.

On Tuesday, Mountain Pointe blew open a tight game in the third quarter with a 23-9 run. Mannion had 25 points and Trent Brown 13 points. Mountain Pointe was led by 6-9 senior Jalen Graham's 20 points and eight rebounds and junior forward DeAndre Henry's 12 points and seven boards.

The win avenged Mountain Pointe's loss to Pinnacle in last year's 6A championship game.

Pinnacle is without one of its top defenders and shooters, injured Jordan Mains, who was key to last year's title.

"We're still trying to find our way without Jordan Mains in big games," Wilde said. "Mountain Pointe is one of the best teams in the state and they were hungry with a great crowd. They beat us.

"Every loss is a lesson and we have a long way to go in the season, so we will learn from this and improve going forward.  But we cannot have a bad quarter versus a good team in their gym."

Pinnacle will return to Chaparral on Saturday night for the last session of the Hoophall West and take on another California power, Temecula Rancho Christian at 7. Rancho Christian (4-0) last year lost to Chatsworth Sierra Canyon in the first round of the CIF Open Division tournament, which Sierra Canyon went on to win.

Rancho Christian is huge, led by the Mobley brothers, both five-star recruits. Senior Isaiah Mobley, 6-10, is committed to USC. Evan Mobley, a 7-foot junior, averaged 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks last season. Isaiah averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Shadow Mountain, coached by Mike Bibby and led by guards Jaelen House (Arizona State signee) and Jovan Blacksher (GCU), will play on Saturday night at 8:30 against Chicago giant Simeon, which has produced NBA players.

Friday's most anticipated game will feature point guard LaMelo Ball and Spire Institute out of Ohio against Scottdale's Bella Vista Prep and Arizona-signee Terry Armstrong, a freak athlete. Bella Vista will also be helped by guard Jeron Artest, a recent transfer from Phoenix Hillcrest Prep.

Spire will have the tallest player in the showcase with 7-foot-7, 18-year-old Robert Bobroczkyi standing out.

"I am happy for the state that our talent pool is improving each year," Wilde said. "It just  means kids, trainers and coaches are working hard."

Other intriguing local teams include Surprise Paradise Honors and Goodyear Millennium.

Paradise Honors is the most stacked 3A team in Arizona, featuring 6-6 junior guard Jerry Iliya, 6-10 sophomore Matur Dhal and 6-7 Roy Eze.

Millennium has one of the state's most talented sophomore classes, led by 6-8 DaRon Holmes, 6-3 Coleman Fields and 5-10 Justus Jackson.

Paradise Honors plays after the Pinnacle-San Joaquin game Friday night against Las Vegas Clark.

Millennium plays Saturday at noon against Rolling Hills of California.

Phoenix Hillcrest Prep, led by junior guard Kyree Walker, will face Texas power Denton Guyer at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, before the Pinnacle-Rancho Christian game.

Hoophall West schedule

at Chaparral High School gym

Thursday

Las Vegas Liberty vs. Chaparral, 5 p.m.

Pinnacle vs. San Joaquin Memorial, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Paradise Honors vs. Clark, 8:45 p.m.

Friday

Gonzaga Prep (Wash.) vs. Modesto Christian (Calif.), 3 p.m.

Chicago Simeon vs. Rancho Christian, 4:30 p.m.

Las Vegas Bishop Gorman vs Denton Guyer (TX), 6 p.m.

Spire Institute (Ohio) vs. Bella Vista Prep, 7:30 p.m.

Shadow Mountain vs. Phoenix St. Mary's 9 p.m.

Saturday

Tempe Corona del Sol vs. Eleanor Roosevelt (Md.), 9 a.m.

Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep vs. Las Vegas Coronado, 10:30 a.m.

Millennium vs. Rolling Hills Prep, noon

Gilbert Perry vs. Modesto Christian (Calif.), 1:30 p.m.

Bishop Gorman vs. Gonzaga Prep (Wash.), 4 p.m.

Hillcrest Prep vs. Denton Guyer, 5:30 p.m.

Pinnacle vs. Rancho Christian, 7 p.m.

Shadow Mountain vs. Simeon, 8:30 p.m.