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ESPN networks coverage of the 2012-13 high school basketball season will include, for the fifth consecutive year, the National High School Invitational Tournament (NHSI). Action begins Thursday, April 4, at noon ET on ESPNU, with No. 3 seeded Prime Prep (Texas) facing No. 6 seeded Blanche Ely (Fla.) in the opening boys’ game. The event, organized by Paragon Marketing Group, will be held at Georgetown Preparatory School’s Hanley Center for Athletic Excellence in Bethesda, Md. and features 10 games with some of the country’s best boys and girls’ high school basketball teams.
For the first time, every boys’ team in the NHSI field is ranked in the ESPN 25 Power Rankings and five are in the top 10. The defending champions, Findlay Prep (Nev.) returns to try and clinch their fourth NHSI title after an undefeated regular season. In the girls tournament, Archbishop Spalding (Md.) is seeded No. 1 with 2011 NHSI Champion Dr. Phillips (Fla.) at No. 2. Each NHSI Boys Quarterfinal will air on ESPNU Thursday, with the Semifinals on ESPN2 Friday, April 5, followed by the final matchup on ESPN Saturday, April 6, at 1 p.m.
The NHSI caps off 24 games of the country’s best high school basketball teams playing on ESPN networks during the 2012-13 season.
NHSI Boys’ and Girls’ Tournament Television Schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
| Thu, April 4 | Noon | NHSI Boys Quarterfinals: #3 Prime Prep (Texas) vs. #6 Blanche Ely (Fla.) Joe Davis, Paul Biancardi & Dave Telep |
ESPNU |
| 2 p.m. | NHSI Boys Quarterfinals: #4 St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.) vs. #5 La Lumiere (Ind.)Joe Davis, Paul Biancardi & Dave Telep | ESPNU | |
| 4 p.m. | NHSI Boys Quarterfinals: #2 Montverde Academy (Fla.) vs. #7 Oak Hill Academy (Va.) Joe Davis, Paul Biancardi & Dave Telep |
ESPNU | |
| 6 p.m. | NHSI Boys Quarterfinals: #1 Findlay Prep (Nev.) vs. #8 Montrose Christian (Md.) Joe Davis, Paul Biancardi & Dave Telep |
ESPNU | |
| Fri, April 5 | 10:30 a.m. | NHSI Girls Semifinals: #1 Archbishop Spalding (Md.) vs. #4 Dillard (Fla.) Eamon McAnaney & Brooke Weisbrod |
ESPNU |
| 12:30 p.m. | NHSI Girls Semifinals: #2 Dr. Phillips (Fla.) vs. #3 Life Center Academy Eamon McAnaney & Brooke Weisbrod |
ESPNU | |
| 2:30 p.m. | NHSI Boys Semifinals Joe Davis, Paul Biancardi & Dave Telep |
ESPN2 | |
| 4:30 p.m. | NHSI Boys Semifinals Joe Davis, Paul Biancardi & Dave Telep |
ESPN2 | |
| Sat, April 6 | 11 a.m. | NHSI Girls Final Eamon McAnaney & Brooke Weisbrod |
ESPN2 |
| 1 p.m. | NHSI Boys Final Joe Davis, Paul Biancardi & Dave Telep |
ESPN |
*Each team listed with their seeding
About National High School Invitational
The National High School Invitational launched in 2009 at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, Md as the ESPN Rise NHSI. The 2009 boys tournament was won by Findlay Prep with the girls tournament won by Seton Keough. The second annual tournament was held at Coppin State University’s Physical Education Complex in Baltimore with Findlay Prep retaining the boys’ title and the Peddie School claiming the girls’ title. In 2011, Montrose Christian won the boys’ title in double overtime while Dr. Phillips won the girls’ championship. Last year, Findlay Prep recaptured the NHSI title with an overtime victory and Riverdale Baptist took the girls’ championship trophy.
About Paragon Marketing Group
Paragon Marketing Group is a corporate consulting agency specializing in sports, entertainment and cause related sponsorships. Paragon has partnered with ESPN over the past 10 years to deliver over 250 live high school football and basketball telecasts featuring many of the top teams and players in the nation. Paragon’s consulting clients include Gatorade, Nature Valley Granola Bars, Lexus, PNC Bank, Skullcandy and Bayer.
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