Emoni Bates, Ypsi Prep to play in Thanksgiving showcase at Dallas Mavericks' arena
The first marquee game for Emoni Bates and the new Ypsi Prep Academy has been revealed.
Bates and his talented team will travel to face Duncanville (Texas) High on Nov. 28 at American Airlines Center, home of the Dallas Mavericks, as part of the Thanksgiving Hoopfest doubleheader.
Bates, who left Ypsilanti Lincoln to join a new program founded by his father, Elgin, is a Michigan State basketball commitment and the consensus top player nationally in the 2022 recruiting class. Guard Jaden Akins, a 2021 MSU commit, also is part of the fledgling program.
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The event, typically a multi-day showcase that had 30 teams from eight states a year ago, has been changed to just two games this year. Last year’s event featured Sierra Canyon High School with Bronny James and Zaire Wade, the sons of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and Montverde Academy with Cade Cunningham.
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“Thanksgiving Hoopfest brings together the best in high school basketball on a regional and national level, allowing teams to compete against top teams from other states and use the game as an early season measuring stick,” Glenn Smith, founder of the Thanksgiving Hoopfest, said in a statement.
There will be a limited capacity, organizers say, to protect athletes, coaches, staff and spectators from COVID-19. Tickets go on sale to the public Nov. 2. For information, visit www.thanksgivinghoopfest.com.
Duncanville, the alma mater of former MSU guard Matt McQuaid, features five-star forward Ronald Holland, the No. 8 player in the 2023 class according to 247Sports.com, and three-star 2020 PG Zhuric Phelps.
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Ypsi Prep was ranked No. 8 in TheSeasonTicket.com’s preseason rankings for 2020-21 and is expected to play games against national prep powers Montverde Academy and IMG Academy in Florida and Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, among others.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Emoni Bates, Ypsi Prep to play in Thanksgiving showcase in Dallas
