For the third straight year, the Niagara Knights men's and women's basketball programs are set to host the Niagara Region Basketball showcase at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre on December 18th. Opening tip for the girls game is slated for 6:00pm, while the boys will tip-off at 8:00pm.
The event is part of a series of showcases that were launched in June 2013 by the Knights' soccer programs. Spearheaded by Head Coach Frank DeChellis and assistant coach Rino Berardi, the annual showcase events features high school student-athletes from across the Niagara Region. Played for the first time in 2016, the basketball games joined a line-up that includes the aforementioned soccer showcases annually in June and volleyball showcases in March.
"Adding the showcase to our lineup a couple of years ago was a huge boost for our program," said Knights women's Head Coach Mike Beccaria. "This is another opportunity for high school athletes to compete with their peers and celebrate the state of basketball in Niagara."
Coaches from participating high schools throughout the region have nominated their student-athletes to compete in the game, with schools from Port Colborne, to Grimsby, to Niagara Falls being represented. The teams will be split up by zone, with Zone 3 taking on Zone 4 to Niagara Region bragging rights. In total 67 student-athletes representing 22 Niagara Region high schools will participate in the two matches.
Both games will be broadcast live by the Niagara College Broadcast, Radio, Television, and Film (BRTF) programs at www.goknights.ca/watchlive. Like all Knights home broadcast, the games will feature BRTF students providing play-by-play, colour commentary, and in-game interviews with the participants.
Previous participants in the showcase that now suit up for the Knights include women's basketball's Sophia Al-Kayed (St. Catharines | St. Francis High School) and Kirstyn Atkins (Welland | Centennial High School) and men's basketball's Braiden Moore (Welland | Notre Dame College School) and Johnnie Richardson (Niagara Falls | St. Francis High School).
Girls Participants
| Team White | Team Blue |
| Isabelle Sincler - Jean Vanier | Viktoria Cubelis - St. Francis |
| Alyssa Arcand - Jean Vanier | Rachel Bufalino - St. Francis |
| Corynn Parker - Jean Vanier | Beth deBoer - Eden |
| Destiny Paquin - Centennial | Terin Hultink - Smithville Christian |
| Breanna Ferrara - Centennial | Esther Dehaan - Smithville Christian |
| Emily Babyak - Centennial | Michailah Jones - St. Catharines Collegiate |
| Maddie Coleman - Port Colborne | Selena Jones - St. Catharines Collegiate |
| Jennifer Kozeli - Port Colborne | Leanne Dekorte - Heritage Christian |
| Phoenix Hill-Doxtator - Stamford | Ruth Vandyk - Heritage Christian |
| Emma Lagace - Stamford | Sarah O'Rourke - Holy Cross |
| Emily Foest - Notre Dame | Maddie Caughill - Holy Cross |
| Alissa Mete - Notre Dame | Ally Dyck - Holy Cross |
| Abigale Philips - Notre Dame | Charlize Breulman - Great Lakes Christian |
| Hannah Nicholls - EL Crossley | Lauren Nugent - Grimsby |
| Emily Bonisteel - EL Crossley | Asha-Lee Crooks - Grimsby |
| Sydney Grummett - EL Crossley | Madelyn Strongitham - Grimsby |
| Tess Puchalski - EL Crossley | Olivia Gaspich - Blessed Trinity |
| Tori-Rigas DiDomenico - AN Myer | Mia DiPasquale - Blessed Trinity |
| Emily Braun - AN Myer | Makayla Giddings - Blessed Trinity |
| Taylor Doyle - Fort Erie | Allie Addy - Governor Simcoe |
| Megan Loui - Fort Erie | Lily Empringham - Niagara Christian |
Boys Participants
| Team White | Team Blue |
| Reese Radobenko - Centennial | Adrian Wazsak - Holy Cross |
| Nick Yioldassis - Centennial | Calvin Bultje - Heritage Christian |
| David Jones - Notre Dame | Sam Braithwaite - St. Francis |
| Shamar Campbell - Notre Dame | Igor M'Baya - St. Francis |
| Jacob Labonte - Jean Vanier | Brendan Barker - Sir Winston Churchill |
| Ricard Werner - St. Paul | Noah Honsberger - Dennis Morris |
| Jerwin Tutanes - St. Paul | Clayton Thomas-Harris - St. Catharines Collegiate |
| Neil Naharai - Stamford Collegiate | Tykree Llewellyn - St. Catharines Collegiate |
| Abdul Sheik-Ali - Westlane | Colton Spencer - Thorold |
| Jason Carter - EL Crossley | Darren Johnston - Governor Simcoe |
| Auston Ladouceur - Fort Erie | Charlie Edgar - Eden |
| Nick Murdaca - AN Myer | Josh Enns - Blessed Trinity |
| Neil Wangler - Niagara Christian |
