Tornado Alley Classic will help elevate Sunrise’s local basketball profile

Sunrise Christian Academy’s local profile grew steadily in recent years as its boys basketball programs demanded attention.

Sunrise sent Buddy Hield to Oklahoma and Tum Tum Nairn to Michigan State and several players and a coach to Wichita State. What was once a curiosity in Bel Aire became a must-follow for recruiting junkies and a hidden treasure for fans.

Next week, Sunrise takes another step toward a more prominent role in local athletics with the Tornado Alley Classic. Games are at North High on Nov. 15 and Park City’s Hartman Arena on Nov. 15.

“We’d love to have the city see what we do against the teams that we play and the level of basketball that it is,” Sunrise coach Luke Barnwell said.

The level of basketball, at least as far as individual talent, should be excellent. Dan Hudson of Next Max, who puts on similar events at 18 other stops, gathered a field that includes three of the top-12 ranked players in the class of 2016, by Rivals.com, and three of the top seven in the class of 2017.

“For a six-game event, it is the best of the best,” Hudson said.

Josh Jackson, a 6-foot-7 guard for California’s Prolific Prep, leads the class of 2016. His team will open the tournament at 1 p.m. Nov. 14 against Elevate (Colo.) Academy.

“He can jump out of the gym,” Barnwell said. “But also, to go along with his athleticism, a high level of skill. He can shoot it from a long way. He’s a nightmare to stop.”

Thon Maker, a 7-foot center from Canada’s Athlete Institute, is another one of the top players in the field. The list also includes Word of God’s Rawle Alkins, a guard ranked No. 9 by Rivals.com and No. 12 Terrance Ferguson, a guard from Texas’ Advanced Prepatory International who is orally committed to Alabama.

Barnwell said WSU is recruiting several of his players, most notably guard Lindy Waters III, from Norman, Okla., forward Derrick Walker from Kansas City and guard Bryan Trimble from Kansas City. Waters is ranked No. 79 in the class of 2017 by Rivals.com. Walker and Trimble are also 2017 recruits.

NCAA coaches are allowed to watch games that weekend and Barnwell expects Wichita State, Kansas, many Big 12 schools and others to send coaches. Coaches are not allowed to speak to recruits until after their participation in the games is finished. While WSU will enjoy the advantage of easy access, coaches are not allowed to host recruits on campus until games are finished, meaning an athlete could walk around campus on his own, but couldn’t meet with coaches.

Advanced Prepatory International will bring two of the top 10 players from the class of 2017 — No. 2 Trevon Duval, a guard, and No. 6 Billy Preston, a forward. No. 7 Jarred Vanderbilt plays for Houston’s Victory Prep.

Sunrise will play Word of God Christian (N.C.) Academy at 5 p.m. Nov. 14 and Prolific Prep at 5 p.m. Nov. 15.

Sunrise opens its prep-school season this weekend in Iowa.

“We’ve got some of the highest-rated guys we’ve ever had,” Barnwell said. “I feel good about our group and where we’re at. You never feel too good when you’re playing the level of players we’re going to be playing.”

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Tornado Alley Classic will help elevate Sunrise’s local basketball profile."