As the fall sports season winds down, the countdown to the 15th Annual High School Holiday Hoops begins. The 2019 edition of Holiday Hoops will tip off on the campus of North Central Missouri College in Trenton with a total of 97 teams representing 55 Missouri and Iowa high schools. Steve Maxey, director of Holiday Hoops, says the number of participating teams has been reduced this year as well as the number of days in an effort to shorten the event that simply has gotten too large. Games begin this year on Dec. 14 and wrap up on Dec. 31.
New faces this year include first time high school attendees: Columbia Battle, Columbia Independent, Community, Creston Iowa, Hogan Prep of Kansas City, Lutheran South of St. Louis, Montrose and Northland Christian of Kansas City. Smithville will be bringing their boys team to join the girls for the first time. Schools that have not participated for a few years but are returning for the 15th annual event include the high school squads from Albany, Kirksville, Mound City and Putnam County of Unionville.
Sponsored by the North Central Missouri College Foundation, Inc., Holiday Hoops continues to be the largest high school holiday basketball shoot-out in the state with all games played on the NCMC campus in Trenton.
Once again over 250 community volunteers will assist a 15-member steering committee in managing the event hosting 65 varsity ball games.
