POWELL, Ohio -- Returning for a third year, Battle for the City is back! Powered by 270 Hoops and Nova Village, the annual all-star showcase will take place at Olentangy Orange High School on March 27 and 28 from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. each night. 

Battle for the City will showcase the top freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors that Central Ohio high school basketball has to offer. 

The Underclassmen Challenge will kick off on March 27. Using the same format as last season, this event will pit the top freshmen, sophomores and juniors in the area against each other. Teams will battle for supremacy as the OCC, City League and a mix of remaining divisions will go toe-to-toe. This event is invite only and invitations will be sent out to players this week.

The Senior All-Star Showcase games will tip off on March 28. There will be two games involving the top seniors in the area. The first contest will be a matchup between the top  Mid-State League seniors against the best that the Central Catholic League, Licking County League, Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference, Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference and others have to offer. 

The second game will be a matchup between the top seniors from the City League and OCC. In the underclassmen challenge a year ago, the City League got the best of the OCC and staked its claim as the top league in 2018. The OCC will be looking for revenge on March 28 in a game that is sure to be intense.

Battle for the City will also serve as a primetime showcase for unsigned seniors. Taking place on the last day of the live recruiting period for Division II, III and NAIA programs, Central Ohio's top unsigned seniors will get a chance to show what they have to offer against quality competition in front of dozens of college coaches. Nearly a dozen unsigned seniors who participated in last year's Battle for the City ended up signing with college programs following the event and we expect that number to grow in 2018.

270 Hoops and Nova Village are also offering sponsorship opportunities for local businesses to advertise their products to a wide audience. For more on sponsorship opportunities, please email 270hoops@gmail.com. 

Stay tuned for more information regarding Battle for the City in the coming weeks. We are excited to offer another opportunity for the area's top talent to showcase their unique talents in front of not only Central Ohio, but to college coaches looking to offer scholarships.

Check out highlights from last season's event below.