Boys California Live basketball Tournament coming to Roseville

Many of the best boys' high school basketball teams in California, with a few from Arizona and Nevada, and some of the most highly recruited players in the nation will compete in the Boys California Live '24 tournament from June 28-30 at the Roebbelen Center in Roseville, attracting about 5,000 athletes, coaches and fans. The three-day tournament – one of the largest-ever boys' high school basketball tournaments in the nation – starts at 12 noon on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday with games continuing into the evening at the Roebbelen Center located @the Grounds, 700 Event Center Drive in Roseville. Each team will play at least four games, with the final rounds on Sunday. The final games on Sunday with the top teams will begin at 4:30 p.m. Admission is $10 per day, paid in cash or through GoFan. Parking is $10 per day. "We're excited to host this amazing tournament that will bring the best basketball teams and players to Placer Valley," said Kim Summers, Chief Executive Officer of Placer Valley Tourism and @the Grounds. Boys California Live '24 has already filled the 168-team tournament, including commitments from six of MaxPreps' top 10 teams in the state – Archbishop Riordan of San Francisco; Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks; Carlsbad in north San Diego County; Windward of Los Angeles; Salesian College Preparatory of Richmond; and longtime powerhouse Mater Dei of Santa Ana. More than 20 Sacramento-area high school teams will also compete, including Christian Brothers, Rio Americano, Sacramento, Whitney and West Park. "The goal of the selection committee was to get the best teams in the state," said Harold Abend, co-tournament director of Boys California Live '24 with Gerry Freitas. "We also wanted to make sure that the Sacramento area was well represented with their best teams." About 250 teams applied to participate in Boys California Live '24, after the success of the inaugural tournament last summer in Southern California. The first Girls California Live tournament was at the Roebbelen Center in 2023, and the second was held this month in Southern California. "It's a good opportunity and you get to see what other teams have and what they're doing," said Woodcreek head coach Drew Hibbs. "It's great for the community, and for fans to see this level of competition." More than 2,000 players overall will participate in Boys California Live '24, one of only about a dozen NCAA-certified Scholastic Viewing events of high school players nationwide. Some of the highly recruited NCAA players expected to participate include Taj Ariza of Westchester High School; Brandon Benjamin of Canyon (Anaheim); Alec Blair of De La Salle; Nate Garcia of Damien; Doug Langford of St. Pius; Mazi Mosley of St. Francis (La Canada); and Dallas Washington of Santa Margarita. "You will see some of the highest level of basketball in the country," said Destiny Christian coach Michael Lorente. Destiny Christian will bring 14 players to the tournament, including about five NCAA Division I-quality players. "We want to play the best and have a measuring stick of how good we are." An estimated 150 NCAA college coaches and recruiters will attend the tournament, looking for the next Zach Edey, Marcus Sasser or Jaime Jaquez. The Boys and Girls California Live tournaments are "designed to showcase the very best basketball players," said Ron Nocetti, Executive Director of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing body for high school sports in the state. "But what many people appreciate the most is they participate with their high school teams." Tournaments for club teams – also known as travel teams – dominate nationwide and in California. But the CIF-approved Boys and Girls California Live tournaments allow student-athletes to play with their high school teams during the summer. The high school-only tournaments are beneficial for the players and the schools. Coaches can better evaluate players and prepare for the upcoming season. And a high school hoops star could help a little-known teammate grab the attention of NCAA coaches and get an opportunity to continue playing the sport in college. "Sometimes it's about being at the right place at the right time," said Nocetti, adding that fewer than 5% of high school athletes play sports in college. In addition to college coaches and recruiters, Boys California Live '24 will draw basketball fans looking to catch the next generation of NCAA players – or maybe even a future NBA superstar.