Nominations

The 3rd Annual Elite Showcase Basketball Classic (ESBC)

The ESBC North and South All-Star teams will be comprised of 44 players that are divided into two teams. The teams will be selected and then divided by the player selection committee members. As many of these players are going on to play Division I basketball, we aim to provide a safe environment for the players and their families to enjoy the Elite Showcase Basketball Classic (ESBC) experience and a weekend in our Nation's capital.

The Search Begins

The initial list of potential names are submitted by members of the Selection Committee as well as representatives who religiously follow the prep scene. Many rising juniors and seniors make this list based on an excellent year or for having an outstanding summer participating in summer camps and AAU tournaments. There is no set number of how many players can be nominated.

Selection Committee

The voting process for the Elite Showcase Basketball Classic involves the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee is comprised of knowledgeable basketball analysts, prep scouts, high school newspaper reporters, and basketball coaches. View Selection Committee.

Voting Criteria

Players must have played at least half of their junior season and should be considered academically eligible throughout the voting process.

Geographic Divisions

There is no specific line that determines the north-south breakdown. We take the players for each position and divide them based on relative geographical location. Because there are sometimes more players at one position on one team than others, there are exceptions to this general practice. Most likely, at least 90 percent of the players will play on their respective geographic team, but the goal of the Elite Showcase Basketball Classic and Virginia Elite Hoops is to have the best players represented in the game, period.

What Happens Next

To eliminate duplication, since the initial list is obtained from many sources, the names are entered into a system to begin the Verification process. The ESBC staff will contact players' high school in order to confirm with the coach or athletic director that the nominee is indeed an eligible junior or senior and is in good standing with their high school.

Player Eligibility

The selection committee first considers Seniors and recent high school graduates, but will consider outstanding juniors.

The Player Selection Process - Round One

The first ballot is a consensus list of the top players identified to participate in the ESBC, from the recruiting and high school basketball publications, and from tournaments and leagues. The list is sent to the Selection Committee by November 2011. At that time, any additional names are added that they feel are deserving candidates.

The Player Selection Process - Round Two

The second ballot, with those names, is sent to the Selection Committee on January 16, 2012, asking members to vote for the 50 most deserving players, in their opinion, from the list. (NOTE: Players are listed alphabetically and are not ranked on the list.)

The Player Selection Process - Round Three

The third ballot consists of the finalists from the previous vote. The committee votes for the 30 most deserving players, in their opinion, from the list on February 6, 2012.

The Player Selection Process - Round Four

The fourth ballot includes the top 40+ players from the previous ballot. This time, committee members are given a ballot that requires them to make their own ESBC team. The ballots requires the committee members to select two point guards, two shooting guards, two small forwards, two power forwards, and two centers for each team. Each committee member votes for 20 total players. The players are ranked in order based on who appears on the most ballots.

On March 9, 2012, Selection Committee Chairman Thomas Gadson reviews and approves the 20 names chosen by the Selection Committee and notifies each player that he or she has been named to the Elite Showcase Basketball Classic High School Basketball Team and selected to play in the game. Mr. Gadson has the option to add additional players should he feel that it is necessary and warranted for the overall quality of the game.

Those players are also divided into North and South teams and by position to create the final teams. The top 20 vote getters are placed on the roster and posted publicly on the ESBC website by March 10, 2012. 

By designing the ballot this way, we ensure equal representation for each position.