2027 WINTER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SHOWCASE

SCHEDULE SET FOR 3rd ANNUAL ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION NEW YEAR’S WINTER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SHOWCASE

PRESENTED BY: FASTGAS

JANUARY 2, 2027 – CIVIC ARENA

For Immediate Release: Thursday, July 23, 2026

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

For the third straight year, immediately following the holiday season, basketball fans can ring in the New Year with a full day of intriguing high school basketball matchups as the St. Joseph Sports Commission is proud to announce the schedule for the 3rd Annual New Year’s Winter High School Basketball Showcase presented by Fastgas.

This year’s schedule features eight games on the first Saturday of the year featuring all four St. Joseph high schools including six games featuring highly intriguing out of state matchups.

“Scheduling for this event was a bit tricky this year due to the way the calendar fell,” said Brett Esely, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission.  “In a perfect world, we always want this event to be a two day schedule as there is definite interest. however with high school scheduling norms, not wanting to play on New Year’s Day and trying to avoid competition on Sunday, we focused on a one day event which will feature some highly intriguing contests!”

For the second consecutive year, Fastgas, a foundation partner of the sports commission, proudly presents the event.  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, 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.

Saturday’s schedule opens with St. Joseph Christian taking on North Platte with girls action tipping at 10 AM followed by the boys at 11:30 AM.  The North Platte boys enjoyed a memorable season in 2025-26 finishing 27-5 overall and a Third Place Class 3 finish.  Bishop LeBlond will take on Doniphan West from the Kansas side in the next doubleheader with the girls tipping at 1 PM followed by the boys at 2:30 PM.  In the featured doubleheader of the schedule, at 4 PM the Benton girls fresh off their third consecutive trip to the MSHSAA Class 4 Final Four will take on Norris High School out of Nebraska who finished 23-4 a season ago and placed third in Class B.  A high-level boys matchup awaits at 5:30 PM as Norris High School (23-3, third place in Nebraska Class B) faces Kansas Class 6 State Champion Olathe North (24-4).  The nightcap features Central taking on Atchison in a boys/girls doubleheader tipping at 7 & 8:30 PM respectively.  On the boys side, Atchison finished last season 26-2 and advanced to the Kansas 4A State Final Four.

“Our goal for the schedule each year is to set up intriguing, competitive area matchups or matchups featuring our local teams against teams from out of state who they don’t see that often if at all,” Esely said.  “This schedule hits that target in which you’ll definitely want to be in Civic Arena the first Saturday of the year!”

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.

2027 ST. JOSEPH SPORTS COMMISSION WINTER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SHOWCASE PRESENTED BY: FASTGAS

Friday, January 2:

10:00 AM – St. Joseph Christian vs. North Platte (G)

11:30 AM – St. Joseph Christian vs. North Platte (B)

1:00 PM – LeBlond vs. Doniphan West (Kan.) (G)

2:30 PM – LeBlond vs. Doniphan West (Kan.) (B)

4:00 PM – Benton vs. Norris (Neb.) (G)

5:30 PM – Norris (Neb.) vs. Olathe North (Kan.) (B)

7:00 PM – Central vs. Atchison (Kan.) (G)

8:30 PM – Central vs. Atchison (B)