The ESPN High School Showcase returns in earnest this week, kicking off a dozen games over the next two months that will highlight some of the best recruits in the country. Thursday night, the festivities begin with a matchup between the girls’ programs at Sidwell Friends (D.C.) vs. Paul VI (Va.), two of the top […]
The ESPN High School Showcase returns in earnest this week, kicking off a dozen games over the next two months that will highlight some of the best recruits in the country.
Thursday night, the festivities begin with a matchup between the girls’ programs at Sidwell Friends (D.C.) vs. Paul VI (Va.), two of the top teams in the DMV. The Lady Quakers’ roster is headlined by Autumn Fleary, a Duke signee who ranks as a top-15 prospect nationally, according to Rivals.
Paul VI doesn’t feature any nationally-ranked recruits, but the Panthers rank No. 3 in the state of Virginia and are a perennial state title contender. That contest tips off at 6 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU.
On the boys’ side, viewers will get a chance to see a massive tilt between national No. 10 Archbishop Stepinac (NY) and No. 2 Paul VI. The Panthers’ squad is headlined by five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr., who ranks as the No. 7 player in the Rivals Industry Rankings.
They will face off against a Stepinac team dotted with Division I prospects. Most notably, twin 7-footers and USC signees Adonis Ratliff and Darius Ratliff, who are both top-30 prospects in the country. The Crusaders also feature Michigan State signee Jasiah Jervis, the nation’s No. 32 overall recruit.
The top-10 showdown begins immediately after the girls’ matchup, with tipoff set for 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU.
These games will kick off more than eight weeks of big-time high school hoops matchups on the ESPN family of networks.
Other ESPN High School Showcase games this season
ESPN2 will televise the third-place and championship matches from the 52nd City of Palms Classic from Florida Southwestern State College in Fort Myers. Powerhouse teams Paul VI Catholic (2nd in the Rivals National Composite Rankings), Columbus (1st), Archbishop Stepinac (10th), and Long Island Lutheran (15th) will participate in this tournament.
Meanwhile, the sports network will also broadcast four high school basketball games from the Hoophall Classic at Springfield College’s Blake Arena in Springfield, Mass. on Monday, January 19, 2026. These games will feature Dynamic Prep (12th in the Composite Rankings), Prolific Prep (72nd), Saint Mary’s, and Paul VI.
ESPN will also cover three Nike EYBL Scholastic games from Long Island Lutheran High School on February 7.
Category: General Sports
