18th Nike TOC Girls hoops tourney set for Dec. 18-22

December 17, 2014 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


The 18th annual NIke Tournament of Champions girls basketball invitational begins Thursday Dec. 18 and continues through Monday Dec. 22 at four sites across the Valley.

Five brackets of 16 teams each and one bracket of four teams is the set up. Nineteen Arizona schools are competing led by defending Division I champ Desert Vista, D-I quarterfinalist Millennium, D-I semifinalist Hamilton, and D-II champ Seton Catholic. Play begins each day (Dec. 18, 19, 20 and 22) at 10 a.m. with Sunday December 21 an off day. Every team plays four games -- one each day. The tournament venues are Hamilton HS, 3700 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler; Perry HS, 1919 E. Queen Creek Rd.; Mesquite HS, 500 S. McQueen Road, Gilbert and Salvation Army Kroc Center, 1375 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix.

Here are opening day (Thursday Dec. 18) matchups for Arizona teams and the bracket they are competing in:

JOHN ANDERSON DIVISION: 11:20 a.m.. -- Sacramento, Calif. vs. Williams Field, at Kroc Center; 2 p.m. -- South Mountain vs. Windward, Calif. at Kroc Center; 6 p.m. --  Liberty vs. Brea Olinda, Calif., at Perry HS Auxiliary Gym; 6 p.m. -- Mesquite vs. Canyon Springs, Calif. at Mesquite HS Main.

BLACK DIVISION: 2 p.m. -- Horizon Christian, Calif. vs. Chandler, at Kroc Center 3; 2 p.m. -- Handsworth, Canada vs. St. Mary's, at Kroc Center 2; 4:40 p.m. -- Marlborough, Calif. vs. Mesa High, at Kroc Center 1; 4:40 p.m. -- Chaparral vs. Mt. Miguel, Calif., at Mesquite HS Main.

MIKE DESPER DIVISION: 3:20 p.m. -- Seton Catholic vs. Bishop Alemany, Calif., 4:40 p.m. -- Betty Fairfax vs. St. Mary's Catholic, Canada, at Perry HS Main; 6 p.m. -- La Jolla Country Day, Calif., vs. Valley Vista at Perry HS Main.

GRAY DIVISION: 2 p.m. -- Tolleson vs. Morgan, Utah, Mesquite HS Main; 3:20 p.m. -- Huntington Beach, Calif. vs. Basha, at Kroc Center 2; 4:40 p.m. -- Warren, Calif. vs. Corona del Sol, Kroc Center 3; 4:40 p.m. -- :Perry vs. Clovis West, Calif., Perry Auxilary Gym.

JOE SMITH DIVISION: 3:20 p.m. -- Riverdale Baptist, Maryland vs. Millennium at Perry Main; 3:20 p.m. -- Dillard, Calif vs. Desert Vista, at Hamilton HS; 4:40 p.m. -- Hamilton s. Blackman, Tenn. at Hamilton HS Main.