2022 Maysville Classic Champions, Squad Up, pose with their trophy after winning the tournament.
The annual Maysville Classic kicks off today, with basketball teams comprised of some of the best high school athletes, current and ex-college players, and former pros hitting the court for the honor of bringing home the championship.
The teams have been split into four pools, the John D. Fields pool, comprised of Team Tokes, OAS, Redeem Team and Rural Kings, the Johnson Miller Pool, featuring the Ciincy Hoopaholics, 99 Overall and New Era, the Paul King Pool, with Lex Magic, The Bandits, the South East Proam Classic and Bad News Boys and the Pat Moore Pool showcasing the Cincy Bulldogs, the Steppers and Team Elite.
The first two games are scheduled to tip off simultaneously at 10:00 a.m., with Cincy Hoopaholics taking on New Era at the Limestone YMCA, and and Team Tokes facing OAS at the Maysville High School Gym.
Day one of the tournament, today, will pit the teams and each pool against each other, with the John D. Fields pool and the Paul King pool working tournament style, the winning teams of the first two games compete for the first and second seeds, and the losers competing for the third seed. The losing team of the losers bracket will be eliminated. The Johnson Miller pool and the Pat Moore consist of just three teams, and as such will all be competing for a seed in the tournament. Seeding in these pools will be based on wins and losses.
Today’s final four games will be the first round of the championship tournament, with the second and third seeds of each pool competing.
Tomorrows games will all take place at the Maysville High School Gym, with the quarterfinal games running from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the semifinals taking place at 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., all culminating in the championship game at 4:00 p.m.
With the Mason County Royal Chris Lofton led team Squad Up bringing home the title last year, each team will be presenting some of their best basketball to claim this years’ trophy and cement themselves as one of the greats of the Maysville Classic.
Lofton is considered one of the all-time greats of the Mason County Basketball program, helping to lead the team to a state championship in 2003, having an excellent career with University of Tennesee leading to his being the fifth jersey retired by the university earlier this year. Lofton also has a successful professional career overseas, and will be inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall-of-Fame this year.
The caliber of athletes competing in this tournament is unmatched, and will undoubtedly be a fantastic showcase of high level competitive basketball.
