Judging from the performances of the past year, talk of high school basketball really must begin in Houston.

And as usual, Hal Pastner is at the front of the line.

The renowned promoter is bringing 681 teams to Houston for 1,333 games in the three-day Houston Kingwood Classic, beginning Friday at 66 courts in 45 area gyms from the Cypress area to Galena Park to Conroe.

"It's too hard to believe," Pastner said on The Basketball Show Monday night. "I think this will be the largest draw of college coaches ever, even topping last year's tournament ... because coaches haven't been able to come out for so many months ago. There's an excitement for the coaches to come out and right now we're getting the best response we've ever had."

What a road it's been.

The first Kingwood Classic, in 1995, had 12 teams playing in one gym.

Since that beginning, the likes of O.J. Mayo, Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Kevin Durant and T.J. Ford have played in the Classic.

Pastner recently estimated that 85 percent of American-born NBA players have participated in one of the events put on by his company, Vision Sports.

Saturday is the first day college coaches can recruit; therefore, they are banned by NCAA rules from watching Friday's games.

Perhaps the tournament's purpose, Pastner said, is exposing diamonds in the rough and maybe changing a life in the process.

"I can't even remember the names of all these players in the pros that no one had ever heard of until they came to this event," Pastner recently told Rivals.com. "Coming into the event, who is going to step up and make themselves known? I love the kids who are known, but I love the kids who have to step up to make themselves known and explode onto the national scene."

The first games are at 6:30 p.m. Friday across the city. Championship games are scheduled for late Sunday afternoon.

Twenty-four girls teams will participate in their own bracket at the Texas Tornados Training Facility on West Road.

Among the top boys teams are expected to be the Georgia Stars, 16-U semifinalists in 2007, and Miami Tropic and Carolina in Pool A.

Michael Jordan's youngest son, Marcus, will appear with the Chicago-based Rising Stars.

Also playing will be brothers Jesse and John Caleb Sanders, who recently HCYA to its second consecutive homeschool national championship. They will play for the Houston Lynx Blue team in Pool X.

Jesse Sanders recently backed off an earlier verbal commitment to Rice after California coach Ben Braun was hired to succeed the fired Willis Wilson.

"That immediately makes the Houston Lynx (a team) to watch," said Jim Hicks of RCSSports.com. "Don't be surprised when you see the Houston Lynx role through that pool undefeated with those two brothers in the backcourt. They're exciting."

Tickets, available at all game sites, are $10 a day for $20 for all weekend.

"So many young men have been seen and been discovered at this tournament that no one ever heard of, and that's what I like to see," Pastner said. "Who's gonna blow up? Who's gonna be seen and get an opportunity he's never seen before? That's what I enjoy, literally the dozens and dozens if not hundred players who get scholarships and opportunities they might never have gotten before."

To view complete brackets, go here.

Unsigned Senior Showcase

Area seniors who have yet to commit to a college get a chance to showcase their talents Sunday night at the Unsigned Senior Showcase. The event runs from 3 to 8 p.m. at Harvest Time Community Center, 17770 Imperial Valley Road, near Greenspoint Mall.

Seventy-two players may participate. The field already includes Smiley's Jonathan Simmons and Clear Brook standout Anthony Miles, who previously committed to Lamar but since has decided to feel other offers, according to event organizer Jim Hicks, the area basketball guru who runs RCSSports.com.

"It's a way to play and boost your stock," Hicks said. "College coaches will be there watching these guys. ... It's huge because Division I coaches can be there."

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