By MATT PIKE
Several area high school boys and girls basketball teams will once again travel to St. Joseph’s Civic Arena for the 4th annual Holiday Hoops hosted by the St. Joseph Sports Commission this December.
Holiday Hoops features seven Buchanan County high schools along with other area and regional teams of interest competing in a boys and girls doubleheader classic style format just before the Christmas holiday. The classic features 17 games over three days and begins on Thursday, December 18 with Bishop LeBlond squaring off against Macon followed by Lafayette taking on Park Hill South in a doubleheader.
Day two begins with Platte Valley taking on West Platte who will appear in Holiday Hoops for the first time. The days second doubleheader features Central High School taking on Savannah while the nightcap features the Class 4 State Runner Up Benton High School girls taking on Oak Park.
The first of four doubleheaders on day three features St. Joseph Christian taking on Class 1 Boys & Girls District Champion Rock Port. North Platte appears in Holiday Hoops for the fourth consecutive season taking on Cameron as well in the second doubleheader of the day, the Panther girls were Class 2 District Champions a season ago. They will be followed by East Buchanan’s return to the event as they take on Maysville. The Bulldog boys were class 3 District Champions in 2025. The final matchups of the event features Mid-Buchanan taking on Maryville who makes their first Holiday Hoops appearance. The Dragon girls were class 3 District Champions a season ago.
Holiday Hoops also enhances the profile and awareness of the St. Joseph Area Sports Hall of Fame of which the 2025 induction class was recently announced. Enshrinement is set for Sunday, August 24.
Ticket information will be released in late fall in which all sales will be facilitated online and through the Civic Arena Box Office. Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available by contacting the sports commission.
The full schedule looks like this:
Thursday, December 18
4:00 PM – LeBlond vs. Macon (G)
5:30 PM – LeBlond vs. Macon (B)
7:00 PM – Lafayette vs. Park Hill South (G)
8:30 PM – Lafayette vs. Park Hill South (B)
Friday, December 19
2:30 PM – Platte Valley vs. West Platte (G)
4:00 PM – Platte Valley vs. West Platte (B)
5:30 PM – Central vs. Savannah (G)
7:00 PM – Central vs. Savannah (B)
8:30 PM – Benton vs. Oak Park (G)
Saturday, December 20
10:00 AM – St. Joseph Christian vs. Rock Port (G)
11:30 AM – St. Joseph Christian vs. Rock Port (B)
1 PM – North Platte vs. Cameron (G)
2:30 PM – North Platte vs. Cameron (B)
4 PM – East Buchanan vs. Maysville (G)
5:30 PM – East Buchanan vs. Maysville (B)
7 PM – Mid-Buchanan vs. Maryville (G)
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.
