Strong field set for Bojangles’ Bash

Two of the nation’s top high school basketball programs will headline this year’s field for the Bojangles’ Bash.

Huntington Prep (W.V) and Miller Grove (Ga.) will make their first trips to the three-day event at Ridge View High on Dec. 8-10. Huntington Prep is regularly ranked in the USA Today’s Super 25, and features Florida commit Chase Johnson and transfer Keldon Johnson, who’s ranked No. 19 in 247Sports composite ranking for the Class of 2018.

Miller Grove has won the Georgia 5A state championship seven of the past eight years, and finished in the final four of the Dick’s Sporting Goods National Championship last year.

The other two out-of-state teams are Abraham Lincoln of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Fayetteville (N.C.) Christian, which features Division I prospect Joey Baker.

“The footprint of this event has grown every year,” Ridge View athletics director Brian Rosefield said. “We had two teams from Florida last year and one from New York this year. We even got a call from a team that wanted to be in it after hearing about it from one of the players in last year’s event.

“It’s a ton of work, but it brings great exposure for the kids and it is worthwhile being able to put on a quality event.”

This year’s field includes 20 teams, up from 16 last year, and 15 games will be played in the three-day span. Matchups for the event will be released at a later date. Last year’s event sold out the final two days despite going on the same weekend as South Carolina state football championships.

This year’s event also will be on the same weekend as the football championship after the season was extended because of Hurricane Matthew.

The field also features some of the Midlands’ top teams and top programs from around the state, including A.C. Flora and Gray Collegiate. A.C. Flora is the defending 3A state champion and features James Reese and Christian Brown. Gray has North Carolina commit Jalek Felton, the state’s top prospect for Class of 2017, and sophomore Juwan Gary.

Other Midlands teams in the event are Ben Lippen, Cardinal Newman, Dutch Fork, Keenan, Lexington, Ridge View, Spring Valley and Westwood. Ben Lippen is coached by former Ridge View coach John Combs.

The rest of the field is defending 4A champion Byrnes, Legacy Charter, West Florence, York Prep and 22 Feet Academy. Legacy Charter’s Nicolas Claxton and West Florence’s Sharone Wright Jr. both are South Carolina targets. Wright is the son of former Clemson standout and NBA lottery pick Sharone Wright.