Highland Shootout lures some of the nation’s most highly recruited high school hoopsters
For fans of top-shelf high school basketball, Highland is the place to be Saturday.
The 31st annual Highland Optimist Scott Credit Union Shootout again will feature a star-studded cast of talented players and teams.
The event includes nine games beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Highland High School with the final contest set to start at 8:30 p.m.
After COVID canceled the event two years ago and limited fan attendance in 2022, shootout co-chair Matt Powers is again expecting a full gym.
“I feel like we really built this lineup out great,” Powers said Wednesday afternoon. “Now this year, it’s time to pack that gym and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The shootout’s premier match-up pits Imhotep High School in Pennsylvania against Chicago Simeon at 7 p.m. Both teams rank in the top-15 nationally and feature several Division-I recruits, including Imhotep’s Justin Edwards, the nation’s No. 2-ranked player who has committed to the University of Kentucky.
“Simeon against Imhotep is potentially the best public school game of the entire year,” said Powers, in his 15th year as shootout director. “To have two top-15 teams in the country playing in Highland, Illinois, is pretty cool.”
Powers said another enticing match-up is Vashon against Moline at 8:30 p.m. Powers said that game features eight or nine players who either have committed to D-I programs or who have D-I offers.
Overall, Powers projected the event will feature more than 20 Division-I players, with some possible NBA prospects, adding to the shootout’s lore of high-end talent taking the floor in Highland.
Notable alumni from the Highland Shootout include Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin (Althoff) Andre Igoudala, EJ Liddell (Belleville West), Darius Miles (East St. Louis), Michael Porter Jr., Jayson Tatum and many more.
“It’s a huge year. Year over year we typically try to raise the bar which is difficult to do. There’s great metro-east representation, from St. Louis across the river, Central Illinois teams ...,” Powers said.
Here is a brief look at the games involving local teams:
Belleville East to take on Hillcrest
Locally, Belleville East faces Hillcrest at 11 a.m. and Lancers coach Jeff Creek said his club is extremely excited about participating in the shootout.
“It is one of the best and most prestigious shootouts in the nation,” said Creek, whose team takes a 13-2 record into Friday night’s match-up with Belleville West. “We look forward to playing the very talented Hillcrest team. We expect a fast paced, physical game. They are long and athletic with a Division I big man and great guard play. It will be a great test for our team and help get us ready for the postseason.”
Powers also looks forward to that game.
“Belleville East is having a great season. Hillcrest is loaded with talent. That’s a perfect match-up,” he said.
East St. Louis faces club from Kansas City
Additionally East St. Louis — which carries a 9-1 mark into Friday night’s game against O’Fallon —faces Kansas City Staley (Missouri) at 2 p.m.
“We are very excited to play in the Highland Shootout,” Flyers coach Mark Chambers said. “It’s one of the premier showcase events in the country and we are honored to be able to participate in it. Staley is a very good team. They are big, smart and tough. We are looking forward to a fast and physical match-up.”
Added Powers, “That one is intriguing to me. Staley No. 1 in Missouri and undefeated. That might be the most perfect match-up of two teams. I’m real curious to see how that game goes.”
Highland boys, girls in action Saturday
Shootout host Highland will have its boys and girls teams competing as well. The Lady Bulldogs face Mississippi Valley Conference rival Waterloo at 8:30 a.m. while the boys take on Quincy Notre Dame — Powers’s alma mater —at 9:30 a.m.
Highland girls coach Clint Hamilton looks forward to facing WHS.
“The girls are very excited to play in the shootout again this year,” he said. “Not only is it a big conference game for us, it’s a great atmosphere to play in front of a good-sized crowd. It will have a postseason feel to it.”
Hamilton’s team defeated Waterloo 60-54 earlier this season and enters the game at 16-4 overall and 5-0 in league play. Waterloo is 11-5, 3-2.
“We are hoping to get another conference win out of this game,” Hamilton said. “Waterloo is in the hunt for a conference championship and if we can beat them again, we will put ourselves in better position to win the conference. Also, we are hoping to gain more confidence and poise in big games, which will only make us better for the postseason.”
On the boys side, Highland coach Deryl Cunningham also looks forward to Saturday’s contest. He noted his team faces a challenging quick turnaround, playing at Waterloo in a league game Friday night.
“The players are always excited about playing, especially since the event is at our school,” said Cunningham, whose team takes a 10-6 mark into the Waterloo game. “We’re hoping to get a win and play well and get back on track after a tough overtime loss to Columbia (62-58 on Tuesday). As a coach, traveling all the way to Waterloo and having to play early the next morning is always a concern.”
Ticket information
People can purchase tickets at https://www.showclix.com/event/highland-optimist-shootout347766syk822eeqla86qlmcn.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Powers estimated more than 200 but less than 300 tickets remained.
“It’s not a sellout yet. We’re in the 200’s of tickets left,” he said. “My estimation is we won’t go past tomorrow (Thursday) without selling out.
People can purchase an all-day pass for $20, which includes a wristband. Along with viewing all games beginning to end, Powers said the wristband allows people to come and go as they please.
Individuals also can buy a $10 pass for the first session that includes all four games, but this does not come with a wristband. People who only purchase a ticket for the first session must exit the gym after game four.
“We don’t clear the gym or anything (after the first session), but we do check for wristbands after the first session,” said Powers, who co-chairs the shootout with his business partner Rick Ringwald and Highland Mayor Kevin Hemann.
Shootout schedule
Session 1 (tickets are $10; must leave after Game 4)
- 8 a.m. Highland vs. Waterloo (girls)
- 9:30 a.m. Highland vs. Quincy Notre Dame
- 11 a.m. Belleville East vs. Hillcrest
- 12:30 p.m. Bloomington Central Catholic vs. New Madrid Central (Missouri)
Session 2 (tickets are $20; good for all games)
- 2 p.m. East St. Louis vs. Kansas City Staley (Missouri)
- 3:30 p.m. Sacred Heart-Griffin vs. CBC (Missouri)
- 5:15 p.m. St. Rita vs. Chaminade (Missouri)
- 7 p.m. Simeon vs. Imhotep (Pennsylvania)
- 8:30 p.m. Moline vs. Vashon (Missouri)
Players to watch
Here is a list of players competing in the shootout who have committed to D-I programs, according to https://prephoops.com/2023. Also listed is which high school they attend.
- Jordan Pickett: Belleville East/Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Darrion Baker: Hillcrest/Akron
- Macaleab Rich: East St. Louis/Kansas State
- Kayden Fish: Kansas City Staley/Iowa State
- Kyan Evans: Kansas City Staley/Colorado State
- Cameron Manyawu: Kansas City Staley/Indiana State
- Keshon Singleton: Sacred Heart-Griffin/Air Force (football)
- James Brown: St. Rita/North Carolina
- Morez Johnson: St. Rita/Illinois
- Nojus Indrusaitis: St. Rita/Iowa State
- B.J. Ward: Chaminade/Southeast Missouri State
- Miles Rubin: Simeon/Loyola
- Wesley Rubin: Simeon/Northern Iowa
- Sam Lewis: Simeon/Toledo
- Kaiden Space: Simeon/Stony Brook
- Justin Edwards: Imhotep/Kentucky
- Rahmir Barno: Imhotep/Florida Gulf Coast
- Owen Freeman: Moline/Iowa
- Brock Harding: Moline/Iowa
- Kennard Davis: Vashon, Southern Illinois University
Powers ready for Saturday
With the event quickly approaching, Powers praised the shootout co-chairs along with the the Highland Optimists and all the volunteers.
“The reason this thing is what it is (is) the Highland Optimists,” said Powers, who also is an Optimist. “There’s so much pride locally taken in it. Everyone has a role and when you put on this kind of event with the success we’ve had for this long ... there’s so much effort put into it from our group.”
Powers now cannot wait for Saturday.
“We pack that gym every year — year over year,” he said. “We sell it out every year with 3,000 to 3,500 people. As good as these teams are, many of them never get a chance to play in front of that type of environment. A lot of the fans don’t even have an affiliation with teams playing. They just want to watch basketball in its purest form. A lot of neat memories are created from this.”
This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 7:00 AM.