After adidas announced that they will cancel their annual summer elite camp July 6-9 and with the expectation that Nike looks to follow suit by canceling their All American Camp July 6-9, Vision Sports of Houston, Texas announced that it will be holding tournaments July 6, 7 and 8 to tip off the summer basketball evaluation period.
Vision Sports President Hal Pastner stated “Coaches want to watch players in a system. The reason I never did anything during those first few days was because of the camps.”
Pastner runs team-based tournaments, with the largest being the Main Event in Las Vegas in late July. Pastner said 870 teams competed in the Main Event and National Youth Basketball Championships this past summer. He also noted that 650 teams competed in his Kingwood Classic in Houston during one weekend last April.
Gym space has already been secured in Houston and Phoenix for his July 6, 7, 8 events and he is looking to add other cities to this summer recruiting period.
Each year, Vision Sports runs elite basketball tournaments during the evaluation periods for Division 1 college coaches in both Houston and Las Vegas:
Las Vegas Easter Classic (April 5-8, 2007): For the past 26 years, the Las Vegas Easter Classic has drawn boys’ and girls’ youth basketball teams from across the USA to Las Vegas to compete in this national event. In 2006, over 250 teams from the USA, Canada, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands participated.
Houston Kingwood Classic (April 20-22, 2007): The Houston Kingwood Classic, now in its 13th year, has become the largest weekend men’s basketball tournament in the United States. Widely recognized by college coaches, scouting services, and the press as the best recruiting event of the spring season, the Houston Kingwood Classic draws over 600 teams from across the USA, Canada, Europe, and the Bahamas, as well as over 300 college coaches to Houston each April.
Las Vegas Spring Showcase (April 27-29, 2007): In only three years, the Las Vegas Spring Showcase has grown to host over 200 teams from the USA and Canada each April. The tournament is open to boys’ teams from 9&Under through 17&Under divisions, as well as varsity girls teams.
Main Event Las Vegas (July 22-26, 2007): The Main Event Las Vegas has become the premier recruiting tournament of the all-important summer basketball recruiting season. It is now arguably the best summer basketball event in the country. The tournament is open to boys’ teams from 9&Under through 17&Under divisions and varsity girls teams. In 2006, over 500 teams from the USA, Canada, Australia, and France participated. Over 300 college coaches were also in attendance.
National Youth Basketball Championship (July 27-31, 200): For the past 21 years, the National Youth Basketball Championships (formerly know as the Las Vegas Summer Classic) has drawn boys’ and girls’ youth basketball teams from across the USA to Las Vegas to compete in this national event. Since Vision Sports took over the tournament in 2003, registrations have increased steadily each year to include teams from the USA, Canada, Australia, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands. In 2006, over 300 men’s and women’s teams participated.
