BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES SPALDING HOOPHALL CLASSIC HIGH SCHOOL INVITATIONAL

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the Spalding Hoophall Classic to be held at Springfield College's Blake Arena over Martin Luther King weekend Jan. 12th - 15th. The four day event will feature nine of USA Today's Top 25 Teams and 20 of the nation's top 100 players.

Spalding, who developed the first basketball in 1894, and is the official basketball supplier to the NBA and WNBA, has committed to a three year sponsorship with the Basketball Hall of Fame including the Title Sponsorship of the Hoophall Classic.

"Spalding's commitment to high school basketball will further our ability to host the premier invitational in the nation each and every year," stated John L. Doleva, Hall of Fame President and CEO. "Like Spalding, the individual talent and teams competing in the Spalding Hoophall Classic are second to none, and we are thrilled both the leader in sporting goods and the very best in high school basketball will be part of the same event beginning in 2007."

"This high profile basketball event provides great brand exposure for Spalding and is such a natural tie-in for us given Springfield is the birthplace of basketball and our home," stated Dan Touhey, vice president of marketing, Spalding. "In conjunction with our partners at the Basketball Hall of Fame, we share a commitment to the game and its rich history and are excited to provide some of the best scholastic players in the country with a memorable experience."

Nationally ranked teams scheduled to play are #2 Norcross (GA), #3 DeMatha (MD), #4 St. Patrick (NJ), #6 St. Benedict's Prep (NJ), #8 St. Anthony (NJ), #13 Towson (MD), #14 Fairfax (CA), #16 Neumann-Goretti (PA), and #24 Mount Vernon (NY). Other national teams scheduled to play include St. Andrew's (RI), St. Mary (AZ), St. John's (DC), Bishop Loughlin (NY), Winchendon (MA), Harmony Christian (OH), Northfield Mt. Herman (MA), Hargrave (VA), and Bellaire (TX).

Three games from the Spalding Hoophall Classic will be televised nationally on CSTV including #16 Neumann-Goretti (PA) vs. #3 DeMatha (MD), #13 Towson (MD) vs. #6 St. Benedicts (NJ), and the top two 5th year prep schools Notre Dame Prep (MA) vs. Patterson School (NC).

From around New England Holy Name (Worcester, MA), Deering (Portland, ME), Lynn English (Lynn, MA), and Hillhouse (New Haven, CT) will participate in addition to Western Mass favorites Minnechaug, Longmeadow, Cathedral , Central, Commerce, Holyoke, South Hadley, Sabis, and New Leadership.

Some of the top players in the Spalding Hoophall Classic include Syracuse recruit Donte Green (Towson), Kansas State recruit Michael Beasley (Notre Dame), Arizona recruit Jerryd Bayless (St. Mary's), Florida recruit Alex Tyus (Haromony Christian), Georgetown Recruits Chris Wright (St. John's) and Austin Freemen (DeMatha), Georgia Tech recruit Gani Lawal (Norcross), and Villanova recruit Corey Fisher (St. Patrick). Three UMass recruits will participate including Marcus Matthews (Bishop Loughlin), Ousmane Lo (Winchendon), and Matt Glass (Northfield).

In girls games, Bulkley (CT), Holy Name (Worcester, MA), Granby, Lee, Northampton, Cathedral, Longmeadow, and Minnechaug will all compete.

Tickets are on sale and will be available by calling the Basketball Hall of Fame Monday-Friday between 9am-5pm at (413)781-6500. Tickets for the High School Invitational (Friday, Saturday & Monday) are $10 adult and $8 students. Tickets for the Future Stars Invitational (Sunday) are $12 adult and $10 students. Big Y World Class Market once again offers a $3 discount by calling the Hall of Fame in advance, or by showing a Big Y Super Saver Discount Card at the door.

The 2007 Spalding Hoophall Classic event schedule:

	SPALDING HOOP HALL CLASSIC
	HIGH SCHOOL INVITATIONAL
	FRIDAY, JANUARY 12th, 2007
	3:00 PM	Girls	Granby High School (MA)	vs.	Lee High School (MA)
	4:30 PM	Girls	Bulkeley High School (CT)	vs.	Northampton High School (MA)
	6:00 PM	Girls	Holy Name High School (MA)	vs.	Cathedral High School (MA)
	7:30 PM	Girls	Longmeadow High School (MA)	vs.	Minnechaug High School (MA)
	9:00 PM	Girls	Longmeadow High School (MA)	vs.	Minnechaug High School (MA)
	SATURDAY, JANUARY 13th, 2007
	11:30 AM	Boys	Holy Name High School (MA)	vs.	Cathedral High School (MA)
	1:00 PM	Boys	Springfield Central High School (MA)	vs.	Lynn English High School (MA)
	2:30 PM	Boys	Holyoke High School (MA)	vs.	Deering High School (ME)
	4:00 PM	Boys	St. Mary's High School (AZ)	vs.	Hillhouse High School (CT)
	5:30 PM	Boys	Bishop Loughlin High School (NY)	vs.	High School of Commerce (MA)
	MONDAY, JANUARY 15th, 2007
	12 Noon	Boys	#4 St. Patrick High School (NJ)	vs.	#14 Fairfax High School (CA)
	1:30 PM	Boys	#8 St. Anthony High School (NJ)	vs.	Bellaire High School (TX)
	3:00 PM	Boys	#24 Mount Vernon High School (NY)	vs.	#2 Norcross High School (GA)
	4:30 PM	Boys	South Hadley High School (MA)	vs.	Holyoke High School
	6:00 PM	Boys	Sabis Charter School (MA)	vs.	New Leadership Charter (MA)
	7:30 PM	Boys	Springfield Central High School (MA)	vs.	High School of Commerce (MA)
	FUTURE STARS INVITATIONAL
	SUNDAY, JANUARY 14th, 2007
	12 Noon	Boys	Winchendon School (MA)	vs.	Harmony Community School (OH)
	1:45 PM	Boys	Northfield Mount Hermon (MA)	vs.	Hargrave Military Academy (VA)
	3:30 PM	Boys	St. John's College (DC)	vs.	St. Andrew's School (RI)
	5:30 PM	Boys	Granby High School (MA)	vs.	#3 DeMatha Catholic High School (MD)
	7:15 PM	Boys	#13 Towson Catholic High School (MD)	vs.	#6 St. Benedict's Prep (NJ)
	9:00 PM	Boys	The Patterson School (NC)	vs.	Notre Dame Prep (MA)

Spalding has been the Official Ball of the Basketball Hall of Fame since 2005. They recently committed to a three-year Title sponsorship of the Spalding Hoophall Classic.

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level - professional, collegiate, men and women. For more information on these and other upcoming events, please visit our website at www.hoophall.com or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA.