Video: Oak Hill Academy beats Sierra Canyon at buzzerWill be tough to top the drama of 2016 final in Springfield.The Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions has a history of attracting powerhouse fields.
But the 2017 edition in Springfield, Mo., has taken that reputation to another level with four nationally-ranked teams set to begin play Thursday on the campus of Missouri State University.
High School Top 25 No. 3
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) and No. 5
Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.) will join Independent Top 10 No. 4
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) and No. 5
Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) as favorites in the field.
Greenforest (Decatur, Ga.),
Kickapoo (Springfield, Mo.),
Madison Prep Academy (Baton Rouge, La.) and
Republic (Mo.) are all upset-capable opponents in the opening round.
CBS Sports Network will broadcast the semifinals beginning at 9 p.m. EST on Friday and the championship game at 10 p.m. EST on Saturday.
An interesting potential twist in this year's bracket could be a third meeting between Memphis East and Montverde Academy, who tangled in the final of last month's City of Palms Classic (a Montverde win) and last Saturday at the ARS Rescue Rooter Penny Hardaway National Hoopfest (won by East).
Last year's championship game will be tough to beat. Both Top 10 teams at the time,
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) beat Sierra Canyon 49-48 with a 3-pointer at the buzzer as seen in the clip above.
Montverde Academy is the only former champion in the field. Tournament MVP D'Angelo Russell and Ben Simmons led the Eagles to the title back in 2014.
Photos: Jim Redman, Kyle Hess and Nicholas Koza
Last year's final at the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions was played in front of over 10,000 fans at JQH Arena.
Photo by Randy Kemp
