The full 20 team field and schedule for the 2017 Slam Dunk to the Beach high school basketball tournament are in place.
Tournament officials announced Monday the out-of state schools coming to Lewes next month.
The group features teams from as far away as California and Florida. It also boasts three teams in Max Preps preseason national Top 25: 17th ranked Westtown School (West Chester, PA), #19 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, PA), and 20th ranked Roselle Catholic (Roselle, New Jersey).
The Delaware Sports Commission is responsible putting the tourney together and its chairman Matt Robinson says four First State teams are also participating - a list topped by defending state champ Smyrna.
We have them play against each other, but they also get the chance to play a national team. And as a matter of fact, Smyrna is going to be playing Roselle Catholic in a televised game," said Robinson. "Smyrna, they got the target on their back. They’re the defending state champion."
Smyrna’s game with Roselle Catholic is Thursday December 28th at 2 p.m.
Slam Dunk also features some of the nation’s most highly recruited players.
Topping that list is Westtown School senior Cameron Reddish
He just committed to Duke University. [He’s] a top three player in his class in the country. He played for the U.S. National team at his age group level and is expected to contribute right away at Duke University [next year]," said Robinson
The Slam Dunk opens its three day run at Cape Henlopen High School Wednesday December 27th at noon with Smyrna facing Wilmington’s Howard High in a First State showdown.
Slam Dunk officials say well over 30,000 spectators have attended the tourney over the past three years, and they estimate its economic impact locally at about a million dollars each year since it was revived in 2014.
In all, 20 teams will play 19 games during its three-day run