2020 Hoop City Basketball Classic Will Not be Played at the Sanford Pentagon

UPDATE (12/10/20)

Brian Haenchen of the Argus Leader has now confirmed that the entire 2020 Hoop City Classic has now been CANCELED. The event will not take place in Sioux Falls, Mitchell, or Yankton.

Original Story Posted Below

The Hoop City Basketball Classic has announced that this year's event will be held in Mitchell and Yankton, and not at the Sanford Pentagon.

Mitchell and Yankton will host the 2020 event due to being able to control and host fans at their facilities. According to an updated schedule press release, the decision to move the event to Mitchell and Yankton was because of fan attendance, and a "no fan policy" at the Pentagon. The Sanford Pentagon was originally scheduled to host two days of the event.

The Sanford Pentagon has confirmed to us that they will not be hosting the event this year. In regards to a "no fan policy," Pentagon staff told us that they would have worked within SDHSAA recommendations and would have allowed family members to attend. The facility does not have a "no fan policy," and determines attendance based on recommendations of its doctors and health experts. The Pentagon would have held rights to changing attendance procedures for the Hoop City Classic based on current COVID-19 numbers and situation.

Due to the potential of having the classic played without fans in Sioux Falls, the Hoop City Classic decided to move away from the Pentagon to play in Mitchell and Yankton.

Here is the new, revised Hoop City Classic Schedule:

Monday, December 28:

Yankton High School

• 5:30: Yankton JV vs. Thunder Basin JV (WY)
• 7:00: Yankton vs. Thunder Basin (WY)

Mitchell Corn Palace

• 10:30 AM: Mitchell Christian vs. Bridgewater-Emery
• 12:15: FACS (TN) vs. Freeman Academy/Marion
• 2:00: Canistota vs. Wynot (NE)
• 5:00: Vermillion vs. Viborg-Hurley
• 6:45: Houston (TN) vs. AZ Compass Prep (AZ)
• 8:30: Campbell County (WY) vs. Mitchell

Tuesday, December 29:

Mitchell Corn Palace

• 10:30 AM: Thunder Basin (WY) vs. Bridgewater-Emery (Girls)
• 12:15: Viborg Hurley vs. FACS (TN)
• 2:00: AZ Compass Prep (AZ) vs. Thunder Basin (WY)
• 5:00: Yankton vs. Campbell County (WY)
• 6:45: Brandon Valley vs. Houston (TN)
• 8:30: Sioux Falls Christian vs. St. Thomas More

Wednesday, December 30:

Mitchell Corn Palace

• 9:30 AM: Bridgewater-Emery vs. Gregory
• 11:15 AM: Hanson vs. Aberdeen Christian
• 1:00: AZ Compass Prep (AZ) vs. Campbell County (WY)
• 4:00: Mitchell vs. Thunder Basin (WY) (Girls)
• 5:30: Houston (TN) vs. Thunder Basin
• 7:00: Mitchell vs. FACS (TN)
• 8:30: Howard vs. White River

Each year, the Hoop City Basketball Classic brings some of the top prep teams from around the country to compete against our South Dakota schools. It originally started as the "Mike Miller Classic," but underwent a name change due to Mike Miller's involvement in college basketball. A couple of years ago, the event was split between the Mitchell Corn Palace and the Sanford Pentagon.