SPORTS

CPA Hoops Fest has national feel

Maurice Patton
mopatton@tennessean.com

After traveling to holiday tournaments as boys basketball coach at Christ Presbyterian Academy, Drew Maddux realized he didn’t have to do that any more.

That was the idea behind the inaugural Next Level Hoops Fest, set for Dec. 29-31 at CPA.

“For years, we’ve gotten invited to all these places, and I just dreamed — ‘Why can’t we bring this to Nashville?’ ” Maddux said. “The holidays are a great time to showcase this community, and with the success we’ve been blessed to have, it’s just a perfect storm of a lot of factors and a perfect time to launch into this endeavor.”

Along with CPA — the Class AA champions in 2012 and 2013 — and defending Class A champion Mitchell, the tournament will feature Norcross and Ballard, perennial powers in Georgia and Kentucky, as well as University High School of Baton Rouge, La., Mountain Brook (Ala.), Mentor (Ohio) and Episcopal Collegiate (Ark.).

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University’s roster includes rising junior guard Skylar Mays, who has committed to LSU.

Norcross boasts three current NBA players among its alumni, including former Kentucky star Jodie Meeks.

Mentor, located just outside of Cleveland, will be led by 6-10 Micah Potter.

CPA features 6-8 rising junior Braxton Blackwell, The Tennessean player of the year who is a top-30 national prospect with offers from Florida, Vanderbilt and Tennessee, among others.

The tournament will be held at CPA, but Maddux can see it outgrowing that location at some point.

“Our vision would certainly be to elevate it, but there were a lot of scheduling conflicts,” he said, referring to the possibilities of Municipal Auditorium, Lipscomb’s Allen Arena and Belmont’s Curb Event Center. “This first year, it needs to be here in a more controlled environment where we understood the other teams’ needs and how to best address those, but there could be some other venue options down the road eventually.

“I think it’s limitless. We’ve got the Nashville Sports Council’s blessing on this, and we’re looking at doing some things with the Music City Bowl as well.”

Reach Maurice Patton at 615-259-8018 and on Twitter @mopatton_sports.