Beach Ball Classic | Team capsules

Ballard

Hometown | Louisville, Ky.

Mascot | Bruins

Notable | State champs in 1977, 188, 1999; state runner-up in 1987, 2003, 2007; Beach Ball Classic champs in 2000

Players to watch | Quentin Snider (committed to Louisville, averaged 12.7 ppg last season); Lavonne Holland (being recruited by Western Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin); averaged 9.6 ppg last season); Kelan Martin (being recruited by South Carolina, Tennessee, IUPUI, Marquette; averaged 7.7 ppg last season)

Bishop Gorman

Hometown | Las Vegas

Mascot | Gaels

Notable | State champs in 2005, 2009 and 2010; Beach Ball Classic champs in 2009; will play Whitney Young later this year

Players to watch | Shabazz Muhammad (third best prospect in the class of 2012; has offers from Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina amongst others); Roscoe Allen (four-star recruit and has committed to Stanford; is the fourth-ranked small forward in the class of 2012); Ben Carter (committed to play at Oregon); Demetris Morant (going to UNLV); Center Ronnie Stanley (will play football at the collegiate level for Notre Dame)

Gaffney

Hometown | Gaffney

Mascot | Indians

Notable | Class AAAA state champs 2003-2005, 2010

Players to watch | L.J. Peak (ranked in top 15 sophomores in nation); Quinshad Davis

Lakota East

Hometown | Liberty Township, Ohio

Mascot | Thunderhawks

Notable | GMC champs in 2005 and 2011; Cincinnati city champs in 2005 and 2011; district champs in 2011; made it to Ohio Sweet 16 in 2011; ranked No. 4 in AP poll in 2005; ranked No. 6 in AP poll in 2011

Players to watch | Mark Minch (three-year varsity player; averaged 7.5 ppg game off bench last season); Stedman Lowry (two-year varsity player; led team in free throw percentage last season at 86 percent); Robbie Harpring (three-year varsity player)

Lexington

Hometown | Lexington

Mascot | Wildcats

Notable | State champs in 1996 and 2000; made state’s final four eight times in past 24 years; won 20 games in S.C.-record 10 consecutive seasons from 1994-2003

Players to watch | Shaq Roland (all-state selection in 2010 and 2011; 2011 Region V-AAAA player of the year; has verbal commitment to play football at South Carolina); Joby Glymph (has verbal commitment to Queens College in Charlotte, N.C.; made 2011 all-Region V-AAAA team); Nygel Gates (averaged 8 ppg and 8 rpg as sophomore)

Lone Peak

Hometown | Highland, Utah

Mascot | Knights

Notable | 2011 5A state champs; have won five of the past 11 state championships

Players to watch | Three BYU commits (Nick Emery, Eric Mika and T.J. Haws); Emery became first sophomore to be named Mr. Basketball in Utah.

Miami Senior

Hometown | Miami

Mascot | Stingarees

Notable | Has won 19 state championships, the last coming in 2005; made it to regional semifinals in 2011

Players to watch | Adriel Jimenez (Averaged 16.7 ppg last season; made honorable mention on All-County Team in 2011); Allen Baez (Averaged 12 ppg, 6.2 apg and 5.1 rpg game last season)

Milton

Hometown | Milton, Ga.

Mascot | Eagle

Notable | State champs in 2010; state runner-up in 2009 and 2011; Runner-up in City of Palms tournament in 2010; defeated national power Oak Hill Academy in 2011 Hoop Hall Classic

Players to watch | Evan Nolte (four-year starter committed to Virginia); Shaq Johnson (committed to Auburn; winner of 2011 Boost Mobile Slam Dunk Contest); Charles Mann (committed to Georgia)

Myrtle Beach

Hometown | Myrtle Beach

Mascot | Seahawks

Notable | Five-time state champs (1962, 1965, 1987, 2002, 2008); Original member of the Beach Ball Classic

Players to watch | Tramond Wilson (mid-major prospect; leads team at 14.4 ppg and is second on team with 5.1 rpg; had a 44-point performance last week in Panthers Classic); Emaray Johnson (averages 7.8 ppg and 2.3 apg); Eric Goings (averaging 12.4 ppg)

Prestonwood Christian Academy

Hometown | Plano, Texas

Mascot | Lions

Notable | 2009-2010 TAPPS 5A state champs; 2008-2009 TAPPS 5A state runner-up

Players to watch | Julius Randle (averaged 23.8 ppg and 12.2 rpg as sophomore); Zach Peters (signed to play at Kansas; averaged 13.3 ppg and 8.6 rpg as junior); Marquan Botley (averaged 10.7 ppg and 4.4 apg as sophomore)

Rye

Hometown | Rye, N.Y.

Mascot | Garnets

Notable | Made state final four in Westchester County Center in 2009; Cliff Clinton Classic champs in 2010; sectional quarterfinalist in 2011

Players to watch | Max Twyman (grandson of Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Jack Twyman); Michael D’Antoni (son of New York Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni)

Scott County

Hometown | Georgetown, Ky.

Mascot | Cardinals

Notable | State champions in 1998 and 2007; state runner-up in 1999; state final four in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007

Players to watch | Tamron Manning (committed to Marshall); Isaiah Ivey (committed to Gardner-Webb); Quin Richardson

Socastee

Hometown | Myrtle Beach

Mascot | Braves

Notable | Original member of the Beach Ball Classic

Players to watch | Will Caswell and Travis Frye

St. Augustine

Hometown | New Orleans

Mascot | Purple Knights

Notable | 2011 5A state champs; District 10 champs in 2008, 2010, 2011; Newman Invitational tournament champions in 2008-2010; New Orleans-CYO champs in 2010

Players to watch | Javan Felix (senior point guard has committed to play for Texas)

St. Edward

Hometown | Lakewood, Ohio

Mascot | Eagles

Notable | 2006 Beach Ball Classic champions; State champs in 1998; state final four appearances in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2007, 2008

Players to watch | Myles Hamilton (committed to Kennesaw State; played in Beach Ball in 2009; driving guard)

Whitney Young

Hometown | Chicago

Mascot | Dolphins

Notable | 2008-2009 IHSA 4A state champs; 2009-2010 IHSA 4A state runner-up; 2011 CPS Varsity City runner-up; will play Bishop Gorman for its last game of the year.

Players to watch | Jahlil Okafor (averaging 19.2 ppg and 9.5 rpg; top-ranked power forward in class of 2014; top-ranked player in Illinois 2014 class; member of 16-U USA that that won gold medal last year in Mexico); Jermaine Morgan (committed to Colorado State)

Information courtesy of BeachBallClassic.com

and from staff reports