“It gives credibility, even more so, to the brand that we’ve built here,” said Eric Horstman, the event’s founder and president. “Nike is the 800-pound gorilla, and they have their choice to do whatever and wherever they want to go, so for them to choose us as one of their host sites says a lot about what they think about the event.”
Seven area teams will take on competitors from across the country at the 23rd Annual Beacon Orthopaedics Flyin’ to the Hoop Invitational, which will be held Jan. 16-19 at Trent Arena in Kettering.
The showcase includes 18 games over four days featuring 29 teams from eight different states, including five 5-star and more than 25 4-star recruits.
The event held on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend has an economic impact of more than $1M to the local economy.
Local teams competing in the event include: Wayne; Centerville; Lakota West; Alter; Fairmont; and Tri-Village.
Wayne will play in the annual event for the 19th consecutive year, said Warriors coach Nathan Martindale at a press conference Tuesday. They first competed in the event in 2007 and have played several top programs from across the country. This year, they’ll face Cincinnati Wyoming, a D-IV program that beat Alter last season to advance to the state tournament.
“Everything about the event is first-class,” Martindale said. “It’s professional, organized, detailed. It allows our players and our program to be a part of a great event.”
Many of the teams that make up the Nike EYBL Scholastic League have played at the event multiple times over the last two decades, including Oak Hill Academy (Va.). This year’s event includes: Dream City Christian (Ariz.); Wasatch Academy (Utah); Iowa United Prep; CATS Academy (Mass.), La Lumiere (Ind.); Christ School (Asheville, N.C.); and Utah Prep.
“It just makes it a little bit easier now for planning purposes,” Horstman said, “knowing that they’re part of this league and we are going to be getting the same number during that weekend, so it’s just a matter each year of rotating some of them through.
Several of those teams will play a Scholastic League game and return to Trent Arena for a second matchup against an Ohio team later in the weekend.
”This is year one, and again, we’re just going to be growing and building upon that each year now," Horstman said.
Tickets are available at FlyintotheHoop.com. All-event passes are $65 for general admission or $120 for reserved seating. Daily admission is $10 for general admission and $20 for reserved seats on Friday, while the rest of the weekend is $20 for general admission and $35 for reserved seats.
2026 Beacon Orthopaedics
Flyin’ to the Hoop schedule
Friday, Jan. 16
6:30 p.m.: Dream City Christian (AZ) vS. Wasatch Academy (UT)
8:15 p.m.: Spire Academy (OH) vs. Reynoldsburg (OH)
Saturday, Jan. 17
11:30 a.m.: CATS Academy (MA) VS. Dream City Christian (NC)
1:15 p.m.: Wyoming (OH) vs. Wayne (OH)
3 p.m.: Lima Senior (OH) vs. Brunswick (OH)
4:45 p.m.: Wasatch Academy (UT) vs. St. Ignatius (OH)
6:30 p.m.: Southeastern Prep (FL) vs. Lutheran East (OH)
8:15 p.m.: Fishers (IN) vs. Centerville (OH)
Sunday, Jan. 18
11:30 a.m.: Utah Prep (UT) vs. CATS Academy (MA)
1:15 p.m.: Iowa United (IA) vs. Dream City Christian (AZ)
3 p.m.: St. Vincent-St. Mary (OH) vs. Moeller (OH)
4:45 p.m.: La Lumiere (IN) vs. Lakota West (OH)
6:30 p.m.: Upper Arlington (OH) vs. Alter (OH)
Monday, Jan. 19
11:30 a.m.: Christ School (NC) vs. Iowa United (IA)
1:15 p.m.: Margaretta (OH) VS. Northridge (OH)
3 p.m.: La Lumiere (IN) vs. Utah Prep (UT)
4:45 p.m.: Warrensville Heights (OH) vs. Fairmont (OH)
6:30 p.m.: Indian Hill (OH) vs. Tri-Village (OH)
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