How Battle in the Bluff is a showcase for Memphis area high school basketball
Bartlett basketball coach Dion Real remembers sitting down with Bobby Bates and former Memphis East coach Jevonte Holmes wanting to put together a one-of-a-kind showcase to be featured in Memphis.
The idea was to bring some of the nation’s top teams and players to Memphis for a weekend filled with top-tier basketball matchups. But they wanted to be unique in highlighting the teams and players in Memphis as well.
Before the Battle in the Bluff started four years ago, there wasn’t a showcase of its kind in Memphis.
Now the Battle in the Bluff has become a must-see event to highlight the start of the season.
"It’s one of the best events for Memphis that includes the star power in the city,” Real said.
This year’s Battle in the Bluff will feature several national programs, including Faith Family Academy, Maumelle, and DNA Prep Academy. Area teams include Memphis East, Germantown, Bartlett, Lausanne, First Assembly Christian School, Memphis University School, Douglass, Christian Brothers, Briarcrest, Memphis Central, White Station, St. Benedict, Southwind, MHEA, Tennessee Prep and Cordova.
"It’s about the community,” Real said. “It’s really big for college coaches to come and see some of these big games and like you said, see some of the other, better (teams) in the city. It’s not just about Bartlett. That’s the driving force, but we’re trying to help all the schools, trying to help all the kids that we can, get looks with the Battle in the Bluff.”
The Battle in the Bluff will be held at Bartlett from Thursday through Saturday and games set for both the Farley Gym as well as the McDonald Insurance Arena. There will be 35 games played through the three days.
Battle in the Bluff and the NBA Draft
Previous Battle in the Bluff showcased players like J.D. Davison, who was selected in 2022 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics; Brandon Miller, who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 2023; Cason Wallace, who was selected by Oklahoma City in 2023; and Nick Smith, Jr., who was picked by Charlotte in 2023.
Area talent in this year's showcase includes Christian Alston of Bartlett, who signed with Abilene Christian, R'Chaun King of Bartlett, who signed with Arkansas State, Cordova's KJ Tenner, who signed with Drake, and Briarcrest's Cooper Haynes, who signed with Belmont.
While this year may not boast the national talent like in year’s past, it still benefits the area.
"To me it was always part of the plan,” Bates said of involving local schools. “... It don’t make sense to me to bring a big event to the state and not have Tennessee represented properly.”
For the first time in the Battle in the Bluff's history, there will be a middle school game. Elmore Park, located in Bartlett, will play Horace Mann (Arkansas) on Saturday.
“I feel like a lot of people in Memphis have a chip on their shoulder,” Alston said. “And I feel like them being able to get to play this type of competition, fuels that competitor in a lot of the Memphis players. And they finally get to see what it’s really about.”
Reach Wynston Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com and on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @wynstonw__.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Battle in the Bluff a showcase for Memphis area high school basketball
