ESPN and its amazingly successful family of networks has released its schedule for the upcoming high school basketball season. ESPN, Inc., in conjunction with Paragon Marketing Group, will combine to present 15 high school boy’s basketball games this season on ESPNU, ESPN and ESPN2, as part of the returning Old Spice High School Showcase. The series of regular-season games will include teams from 10 different states, including 18 teams nationally or regionally ranked in the preseason National Prep Basketball Poll. It will open with a doubleheader on Thursday, Dec. 11, with Bishop McGuinness (Okla.) vs. No. 20 Putnam City (Okla.) at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU, followed by No. 4 Lincoln (N.Y.) vs. No. 1 Duncanville (Texas) at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN.
The regular-season schedule concludes Friday, Mar. 6, when No. 11 Oak Hill (Va.) takes on No. 10 Montrose Christian (Md.) on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. In all, ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network, will televise 11 games, ESPN2 four and ESPN one. In addition, ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband digital sports television network, will simulcast every game on ESPN and ESPN2. ESPN Scouts, Inc. basketball recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi will serve as the primary analyst for all game telecasts and will be joined by various play-by-play announcers throughout the season, including Dwayne Ballen, Quint Kessenich, Dave Ryan and Jon Sciambi.
Additionally on December 23, ESPNU will televise the 3rd Place and Championship games from the Bank of America City of Palms Classic. This tournament will feature five top 10 teams, including No. 1 Duncanville (Texas), No. 2 Mater Dei (Calif.), No. 3 Wheeler (Ga.), No. 4 Lincoln N.Y.), and No. 6 St. Patrick (N.J.).
ESPNU will supplement the game schedule with a weekly 30-minute show, ESPNU Recruiting Insider, which evaluates the top high school basketball recruits and their classes based on research and analysis provided by ESPN’s Scouts, Inc. The show will be aired Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. throughout the season with ESPNU anchor Lowell Galindo hosting alongside analyst Biancardi.
This season, more than 20 players from the ESPNU 100 Class of 2009 player rankings are expected to participate in the series, highlighted by a matchup featuring No. 2 Derrick Favors of South Atlanta (Ga.) against No. 4 DeMarcus Cousins and his regionally ranked LeFlore High School (Ala.) team on ESPN2, Thursday, Jan. 15th at 9 p.m. Duncanville (Texas), Wheeler (Ga.), Mater Dei (Calif.), Fairfax (Calif.) and Montrose Christian (Md.) each feature two players ranked in the ESPNU 100.
Other prospects from the ESPNU 100 expected to appear in the series include: No.1 Xavier Henry, Putnam City (Okla.); No. 5 Renardo Sidney, Fairfax (Calif.); No. 7 Lance Stephenson, Lincoln (N.Y.); No. 11 Dominic Cheek, St. Anthony (N.J.); No. 19 Dexter Strickland, St. Patrick (N.J.); No. 21 Keith Gallon, Oak Hill (Va.); No. 27 Mouphtaou Yarou, Montrose Christian (Md.); No. 35 Isaiah Armwood, Montrose Christian (Md.); No. 40 Terrence Boyd, San Diego (Calif.); No. 49 David Wear, Mater Dei (Calif.); No. 50 Travis Wear, Mater Dei (Calif.); No. 58 Richard Howell, Wheeler (Ga.); No. 59 Naji Hibbert, DeMatha (Md.); No. 71 Ari Stewart, Wheeler (Ga.); No. 72 Shawn Williams, Duncanville (Texas); No. 73 Lamar Patterson, St. Benedict’s (N.J.); No. 75 Hollis Thompson, De La Salle (Calif.); No. 79 Roger Franklin, Duncanville (Texas); No. 95 Solomon Hill, Fairfax (Calif.).
2008-09 ESPNU, ESPN & ESPN2 High School Boy’s Basketball Schedule
Date Game Time (ET) Network
| Thu., Dec. 11 | Bishop McGuinness (Okla.) vs. No. 20 Putnam City (Okla.) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Thu., Dec. 11 | No. 4 Lincoln (N.Y.) vs. No. 1 Duncanville (Texas) | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Tues., Dec. 23 | Bank of America City of Palms Classic 3rd Place Game | 3 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Tues., Dec. 23 | Bank of America City of Palms Classic Champ. Game | 5 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Thu., Jan. 15 | South Atlanta (Ga.) vs. LeFlore (Ala.) | 9 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Mon., Jan. 19 | No. 20 Putnam City (Okla.) vs. No. 13 St. Anthony (N.J.) | 10 a.m. | ESPNU |
| Mon., Jan. 19 | No. 3 Wheeler (Ga.) vs. No. 5 St. Benedict’s (N.J.) | 12 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Mon., Jan. 19 | LeFlore (Ala.) vs. No. 4 Lincoln (N.Y.) | 2 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Mon., Jan. 19 | No. 2 Mater Dei (Calif.) vs. No. 15 Whitney Young (Ill.) | 4 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Fri., Jan. 23 | No. 7 Fairfax (Calif.) vs. San Diego (Calif.) | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Sat., Feb. 7 | No. 19 De La Salle (Calif.) vs. Dominguez (Calif.) | 10 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Sat., Feb. 7 | No. 5 St. Benedict’s (N.J.) vs. No. 2 Mater Dei (Calif) | 12 a.m. | ESPNU |
| Fri., Feb. 13 | No. 4 Lincoln (N.Y.) vs. No. 6 St. Patrick (N.J.) | 7 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Tue., Feb. 17 | No. 22 DeMatha (Md.) vs. Bishop O’Connell (Va.) | 9 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Fri., Mar. 6 | No. 11 Oak Hill (Va.) vs. No. 10 Montrose Christian (Md.) | 7 p.m. | ESPN2 |
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