SCHEDULE SET FOR 2^ND ANNUAL ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION NEW YEAR’S WINTER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SHOWCASE

PRESENTED BY:JOE PETROLEUM/FASTGAS 

JANUARY 2-3, 2026 – CIVIC ARENA

For Immediate Release: Thursday, July 3, 2025

Brett Esely Contact: 816-233-6688, besely@stjomo.com

For the second straight year, immediately following the holiday season, basketball fans can ring in the New Year with two full days of games as the St. Joseph Sports Commission is proud to announce the schedule for the 2^nd Annual New Year’s Winter High School Basketball Showcase presented by St. Joe Petroleum/Fastgas.

This year’s schedule features sixteen games over two days during the first weekend of the year featuring four St. Joseph high schools along with regional/statewide representation and we welcome our first teams from out of state competing in the event this year.

“As I say a lot, inaugural events are so hard to get off the ground, but now heading into year two and knowing this is a popular weekend to play just after the holiday, we received lots of interest this year and were able to put together some high level, highly intriguing matchups in which we always center these events around our local schools first if we can and then slot in matchups accordingly,” said Brett Esely, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission.

This year’s event features the welcoming of a new title sponsor as St. Joe Petroleum/Fastgas becomes a new foundation partner of the sports commission.  St. Joe Petroleum/Fastgas is a family-owned business founded by the Bachman family in 1978 whose mission is to better serve the needs of the community, by delivering the right product at the right time and location and supporting them with knowledgeable staff.  Fastgas features 12 locations in St. Joseph and the surrounding area which operates with the motto of “Fast, Clean & Friendly.”  In addition to all of their customers convenience store needs they also offer several food options and catering.

“We are extremely grateful to the Bachman Family and their team for the continued outstanding commitment to the community and the sports commission by helping support/enhance not only this event but the continued growth of the commission,” Esely stated.

Several intriguing matchups will be featured over the two days. The field includes a state champion, two state runners up and four district champions along with 12 teams that enjoyed 20 wins seasons a year ago.  Day one begins with a Class 1 matchup featuring Higbee whose boys & girls teams both won 20 games a season ago taking on Class 1 district champions North Andrew.  The Bishop LeBlond girls will take the court next facing class 3 Adrian followed by a match-up up of 20 win teams in the boys game as LeBlond (21-6) faces Crest Ridge (21-7).  The feature game of the event may very well occur at 4 PM on day one in girls action.  The Missouri Class 4 State Runner Up Benton Cardinals (24-7) take on the two defending Nebraska Class 1 State Champions Lincoln Christian (28-0).  Central takes the court for the next two games in a doubleheader against St. Pius Festus from the St. Louis area, then in the nightcap at 8:30 PM, boys action features West Platte against Princeton who finished last season with a 25-2 record.

Day two begins at 10 AM the next day with a matchup of Class 3 Girls District Champions as North Platte (25-5) takes on Archie (22-4).  The Panther boys take the court next as they square off against Crest Ridge.  The days second doubleheader features Bishop LeBlond for the second consecutive day taking on Lathrop, the Mule girls teams finished with a 22-6 record a season ago.  Both the Benton boys & girls teams will play on day two as they take on St. Pius Festus.  The Cardinal boys finished 24-25 with a 28-4 record and Runners-Up in Class 4.  The days final doubleheader features the Central girls taking on Lawson and the Indian boys welcoming in Shawnee Mission East from the Kansas side.

“With the success these teams accomplished collectively during last season, this is arguably the deepest field we’ve assembled in one of our events to date,” Esely said.  “Civic Arena will produce some can’t miss contests the first weekend of 2026!”

Ticket information will be released in late fall in which all sales will be facilitated online and through the Civic Arena Box Office.  Sponsorship opportunities for the event are available by contacting the sports commission.

The St. Joseph, Missouri Sports Commission is an umbrella arm of the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau.

2026 ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION WINTER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SHOWCASE PRESENTED BY: ST. JOE PETROLEUM/FASTGAS

Friday, January 2:

10:00 AM – Higbee vs. North Andrew (G)

11:30 AM – Higbee vs. North Andrew (B)

1:00 PM – LeBlond vs. Adrian (G)

2:30 PM – LeBlond vs. Crest Ridge (B)

4:00 PM – Benton vs. Lincoln Christian (G)

5:30 PM – Central vs. St. Pius Festus (G)

7:00 PM – Central vs. St. Pius Festus (G)

8:30 PM – West Platte vs. Princeton (B)

Saturday, January 3:

10:00 AM – North Platte vs. Archie (G)

11:30 AM – North Platte vs. Crest Ridge (B)

1:00 PM – LeBlond vs. Lathrop (G)

2:30 PM – LeBlond vs. Lathrop (B)

4:00 PM – Benton vs. St. Pius Festus (G)

5:30 PM – Benton vs. St. Pius Festus (B)

7:00 PM – Central vs. Lawson (G)

8:30 PM – Central vs. Shawnee Mission East (B)