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Columbus's best set to invade 2017 Flyin' to the Hoop

By Jason Morrow, 10/11/16, 12:30PM EDT

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Six teams joining the fold for 15th annual Flyin' to the Hoop

KETTERING, OHIO – With the opening of the basketball regular season still almost two months away, one of the top basketball events in Ohio every year has finalized its schedule. The 15th-annual Premier Health Flyin’ to the Hoop High School Basketball Invitational will be held this upcoming year January 13-16, with six teams from Columbus representing the state.

“Out of the top ten teams in the state of Ohio, we have seven of them that will be here,” Flyin’ to the Hoop founder Eric Hortsman said in a press conference early on Tuesday. “Out of the top five teams in the state of Ohio (in Division II) we will have three of the top five.”

Four of the six are returning from last year, with Eastmoor Academy and Upper Arlington as the two newcomers, joining Gahanna, Hilliard Bradley, Pickerington Central and North in the field. Five of the six will be playing in-state foes, with last year’s regional semifinalist Pickerington Central playing highly-touted Wheeler (GA) in the late afternoon slot on Saturday.

“What John (Stovall) will tell you is, on paper, Wheeler (Georgia) should have potentially the number one in the nation,” Hortsman added.

Pickerington Central is no stranger to playing in the big spotlight, as they matched up with Advanced Prep (TX) last year, holding their own with a team filled with four and five-star talent for three-plus quarters, eventually falling 79-73.

“The best teams in Ohio (will be) playing each other, and the best teams in the country,” Hortsman said.

Fellow OCC-Ohio teams Gahanna and Pickerington North will follow the Tigers (in the Columbus order), with the Lions taking on Thurgood Marshall at 11:30 in the morning on Sunday. Gahanna will be facing a team from Dayton for the second straight year, knocking off Dunbar in the day three nightcap last year, 67-62. Pickerington North will take on traditional Div. II powerhouse Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary after that at 3:00 pm.

Saturday’s midday games will feature a pair of the Columbus teams, as Eastmoor Academy opens the Columbus slate against Springfield, while with Hilliard Bradley getting an in-state foe this year, taking on Beavercreek.

Upper Arlington will make its first-ever appearance in the event, taking on Sonny Johnson’s Garfield Heights squad on Sunday at 4:45 pm.

Listed below is the schedule for Columbus games, but you can view the full lineup, along with ticket information at the Flyin' to the Hoop official website.

Saturday, Jan 14  

1:15 pm - Eastmoor vs. Springfield

3:00 pm - Hilliard Bradley vs. Beavercreek

4:45 pm - Pickerington Central vs. Wheeler

Sunday, Jan. 15

11:30 am - Gahanna vs. Thurgood Marshall

3:00 pm - Pickerington North vs Akron St. V St. M

 4:45 pm - Upper Arlington vs Garfield Heights

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