What to know about 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions — Bracket, schedule, stream, players
The 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions is here and it features a team that's currently ranked No. 1 in the nation alongside a deep batch of players including one that has been recently touted as the top senior in the nation.
What's dubbed as the most attended high school basketball tournament in the country will play its 39th edition beginning Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Highlights of this year's field include Paul VI's return, a pair of prospects ranked in the top three of their respective classes and the return of the Central Bulldogs who are coming off their first Blue and Gold Tournament title in 40 years. Glendale is the other local program in this year's event.
Here is a guide to this year's event.
More: 5 bold predictions heading into the 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions
When is the 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions?
The Bass Pro Tournament of Champions will tip off Thursday, Jan. 11 with opening-round games and will continue the next day with semifinal contests.
The championship game will take place on Jan. 13 with the annual slam dunk contest taking place at 6 p.m., the third-place game at 7 p.m. and the championship at 9 p.m.
What is the Tournament of Champions bracket?
All games will be played in Great Southern Bank Arena
Thursday, Jan. 11
4:30 p.m. — Edmond North (Oklahoma) vs. Rainier Beach (Seattle)
6 p.m. — St. John Bosco (California) vs. Central
7:30 p.m. — Paul VI (Virginia) vs. Glendale
9 p.m. — McEachern (Georgia) vs. Vashon (St. Louis)
Friday, Jan. 12
4:30 p.m. — Consolation semifinal
6 p.m. — Consolation semifinal
7:30 p.m. — Winner's bracket semifinal
9 p.m. — Winner's bracket semifinal
Saturday, Jan. 13
2:30 p.m. — Seventh-place game
4 p.m. — Consolation championship
6 p.m. — Dunk contest
7 p.m. — Third-place game
9 p.m. — Championship
How to get tickets
Tickets can be purchased through the Missouri State University ticket office.
Tickets may be purchased at the Great Southern Bank Arena box office in person, online or via phone at 417-836-7678.
How to stream and watch
Both semifinal games and the championship will be streamed for a fee on the Springfield Public Sports Network website at SpringfieldSports.Net.
Access for Friday's late games will be bundled for $20 plus a service fee. The bundle will give you access to both semifinal games to watch live and on-demand with no expiration.
Saturday's championship will be available for purchase for $15 plus a service fee. Like the semifinals, the game will be available to be viewed live and on-demand with no expiration.
More: Here are the 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions' best players
Mediacom is producing both of the games. Thursday's quarterfinals won't be streamed.
The games will be re-aired on MC22. The times for the replays can be found on MC22.net.
Loaded Paul VI roster highlights Tournament of Champions field
The No. 1 team in the nation will take the Great Southern Bank Arena floor when Paul VI returns for its sixth appearance at the Tournament of Champions. The Panthers were champions in 2013 and in their most recent appearance in 2022.
Paul VI boasts five top-100 players which features a pair of Duke signees and one to reigning national champion UConn. The Panthers notably have a third-place finish this season at the City of Palms Classic which saw them beat the 2023 Tournament of Champions champion Link Academy.
The Virginia-based program might have the deepest roster but it will be challenged. Notably, McEachern (Georgia) features Rutgers signee Ace Bailey who is arguably the No. 1 player in the nation. St. John Bosco (California) features two top-30 players including sophomore Brandon McCoy who is rated as the No. 2 player in the nation.
Central looks to build off first Blue and Gold title in 40 years
About two weeks removed from its first Blue and Gold title since 1983, the Central Bulldogs will look to make more history when they make their first Tournament of Champions appearance since 2009 and fifth all-time.
The Bulldogs, 5-7 all-time at the tournament, finished in fifth place during their most recent trip. Johnathan Gray led Central in its most recent trip with a consolation semifinal win over Ozark before Nathan Wood led the team with 14 points in a 65-62 win over St. Raymond (New York).
Central is capable of making similar noise in this year's tournament. It's proven to be one of the more dominant teams the area has seen over the last decade by putting most opponents it faces on a running clock.
More: How much noise can Central, Glendale make at 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions?
One thing the Bulldogs haven't done in their history is win a first-round game when they fell by a point in 1988 and 1993. They'll be underdogs in an opener against St. John Bosco (California) which features the No. 2 sophomore and No. 29 junior in the country.
But these Bulldogs have been out to do some things no Central team has done before throughout the early part of the season. A win or two in this tournament could easily make Central to biggest story to come out of the weekend.
Who are the ranked teams?
SCNext Top 25 as of Jan. 9
3. Paul VI
23. McEachern
MaxPreps rankings as of Jan. 9
1. Paul VI
6. Edmond North
11. McEachern
Missouri Basketball Coaches Association rankings as of Jan. 8
Vashon (No. 1 in Class 4)
Central (No. 6 in Class 6)
Who are the best players?
Rankings courtesy of 247Sports Composite
St. John Bosco (California)
Elzie Harrington, 2025 (No. 29 recruit; Offers from UCLA, Arizona State, USC, Harvard)
Brandon McCoy, 2026 (No. 2 recruit; Offers from UCLA, Arizona, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan, Oregon, USC, Tennessee, Rutgers, Oregon, California, others)
Paul VI (Virginia)
Patrick Ngongba II, 2024 (No. 22 recruit; Signed with Duke)
Darren Harris, 2024 (No. 57 recruit; Signed with Duke)
Isaiah Abraham, 2024 (No. 67 recruit; Signed with UConn)
Garrett Sundra, 2024 (No. 143 recruit; Signed with Notre Dame)
Ben Hammond, 2024 (No. 178 recruit; Signed with Rhode Island)
Adlan Elamin, 2025 (No. 83 recruit; Offers from Arizona State, George Mason, Penn State, VCU, others)
JaQuan Womack, 2025 (No. 183 recruit; Offer from George Mason)
Jordan Smith, 2026 (No. 20 recruit; Offers from Kansas State, Michigan, Villanova, others)
McEachern (Georgia)
Ace Bailey, 2024 (No. 3 recruit; Signed with Rutgers)
Jaye Nash, 2024 (No. 148 recruit; Offers from Alabama, Mizzou, Illinois, Memphis, Mississippi State, Texas Tech, others)
Jeremiah Wilkinson, 2024 (No. 244 recruit; Signed with California)
J.D. Palm, 2025 (No. 139; Offers from Alabama and Alabama State)
Vashon (St. Louis)
Nicholas Randall, 2025 (No. 125 recruit; Offers from Mizzou, Kansas State, Louisville, Ole Miss, Saint Louis, others)
What NBA players have participated?
The Bass Pro Tournament of Champions has a long history of showcasing future NBA talent over the years. Here is a look at some notable alumni:
2022: Amari Bailey
2020: Cameron Thomas, Trevor Keels
2019: James Wiseman, Sharife Cooper, EJ Liddell, MarJon Beauchamp
2018: Darius Garland, P.J. Washington, Keldon Johnson
2017: Marvin Bagley III, R.J. Barrett
2016: Jayson Tatum, Zach Collins, Kevin Porter Jr.
2015: Lonzo Ball, Malik Monk, Harry Giles, Ivan Rabb, Dwayne Bacon
2014: Ben Simmons, D'Angelo Russell, Dakari Johnson
2013: Bobby Portis, Julius Randle
2012: Archie Goodwin
2011: Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Jerrett
2010: Fab Melo, Bradley Beal, Joe Jackson
2009: John Wall
2008: Demarcus Cousins, Greg Monroe
2007: Chandler Parsons, Kyle Singler
2006: Ekpe Udoh, Stanley Robinson
2005: Tyler Hansbrough, Mario Chalmers
2004: Ben Hansbrough, Tyler Hansbrough, Steven Hill
2003: Ben Hansbrough, Anthony Tolliver, Ebi Ndudi, Blake Ahearn
2001: Wayne Simien, Julius Hodge
2000: Omar Cook
1997: Larry Hughes
1996: Lamar Odom, Craig Claxton, Eric Barkley
1995: Ryan Robertson, Loren Woods, Chris Carrawell, Jake Voskuhl
1994: Troy Hudson
1993: Cedric Henderson
1992: Erick Dampier
1991: Terence Rencher, Orlando Antigua
1990: Jevon Crudup, Fred Burley
1989: Jevon Crudup, Khalid Reeves, Derrick Phelps
1988: Todd Day, Anthony Peeler
1987: Alonzo Mourning, Allen Watson
1986: Richard Dumas
1985: Anthony Bonner, Anthony Peeler
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at@WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the host of the weekly "Wyatt's World Podcast" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: What to know, how to watch the 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions
