Midwest Basketball Tournaments

Illinois's boys' state series, presented by OSF Healthcare. The 2026 finals run March 12-14 at the State Farm Center in Champaign with all four classes packed into one weekend. The IHSA dates back to 1908, making it one of the oldest state series in the country.

First held in 1942, the Centralia Holiday Tournament is one of the oldest continuously running high school holiday events in the country. Sixteen teams, three days between Christmas and New Year's, drawing 6,000+ spectators each year to the home of the Centralia Orphans.

Pontiac, Illinois — running since 1925, the oldest holiday basketball tournament in the country. Sixteen invited teams, played at Pontiac Township High School over five days during Christmas week.

Founded in 1961 as the first holiday basketball tournament in the Chicago area. Sixteen teams, 28 games over four days. Between 1964 and 2008, 95 Proviso West teams reached the IHSA state tournament the same year — 13 of which won state titles.

One of the largest co-ed high school holiday tournaments in the country. Sixty-four teams (32 boys, 32 girls) play for four days after Christmas across multiple Bloomington-Normal venues. Started in 1975 as the Illinois State Classic. Awards four scholarships annually.

Indiana's girls' state series. Four classes, single-elimination through Sectionals, Regionals, and Semi-States to State Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Runs about a week ahead of the boys' bracket each season.

Indiana's state championship at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Class finals (1A-4A) played across one weekend in late March. The Indiana state finals have run continuously since 1911 — one of the longest unbroken state-tournament traditions in American sports.

First played in 1916, ran through 1972, restarted in 2000. Sixteen teams, four days starting the day after Christmas, split between the two Terre Haute high school gyms. Sponsored by First Financial Bank.

Run by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame at the New Castle Fieldhouse — at 8,424 seats the largest high school fieldhouse in the country. A flagship in-season high school basketball event in Indiana, with boys and girls games over the holiday break.

Early-December showcase hosted at Bill Green Arena — Marion's 7,500-seat high school gym, one of the historic large-capacity Indiana fieldhouses. Run by Marion Project Graduation as a fundraiser, the event is built around the Marion Giants tradition.

Iowa's girls' state series — the oldest girls' state high school tournament in the country, dating to 1920. Five classes, 40 teams, single-elimination at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Iowa PBS broadcasts every game live on statewide TV with free YouTube and iowapbs.org streams.

Iowa's boys' state series — eight teams from each of four classes converge on Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines for a five-day single-elimination tournament. The event moves to Hilton Coliseum in Ames starting in 2027. Iowa PBS will broadcast championships starting 2025-26.

Michigan's boys' state series. Districts run February 22-26 in 2026, Regionals March 2 and 4, Quarterfinals March 9, Semifinals March 11-12 at Breslin Center, Finals March 13. Four divisions.

The largest holiday basketball event in Michigan, debuted in 1995 at Calihan Hall and now run out of Ferndale High School. Pulls teams from across Michigan and into Chicago and Ohio. More than 25 years of continuous operation.

Minnesota's boys' state series. Quarterfinals at Target Center, semis split between Target Center and Williams Arena, finals at Williams Arena. The 2026 finals were March 28 with Totino-Grace beating DeLaSalle 72-70 in Class AAA.

Eight-team south-central Minnesota holiday tournament played at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato. JV games in afternoons, varsity at night. Field includes Fairmont, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Lake Crystal, Maple River, Minnesota Valley Lutheran, Mankato Loyola, New Ulm, and St. Clair.

Springfield, Missouri's national high school showcase. Eight teams over three days at Missouri State's Great Southern Bank Arena. The 2026 edition was the 41st annual and featured five teams in MaxPreps' national top 10. More than 60 future NBA players and 370 D-I signees have come through it — Wall, Cousins, Tatum, LaMelo Ball, Beal, Barrett, Hansbrough.

Missouri's boys' and girls' state series, played over two weekends at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. Smaller classes (1-3) play first weekend, larger classes (4-6) the second. MSHSAA.TV offers all 48 games for $15 or $10 per individual game.

MLK weekend boys' basketball event in Dayton, founded in 2003 by Eric Horstman. The 2026 edition drew 29 teams from eight states with 100+ college coaches and national media on-site. More than 90 alums have reached the NBA, NFL, or MLB.

Three days of girls' high school basketball in Ohio Amish Country over MLK weekend. Twenty games on a single floor at Hiland High School, with more than 100 college coaches working the gym each year. The 2026 edition was the 23rd annual.

OHSAA crowns champions across seven divisions. The Final Fours moved back to UD Arena in Dayton for the 2025-26 season after experimenting with split sites. Sectional, district, regional, and regional final games run February into early March; the state semifinals and finals fill the second and third weekends of March.

Ohio's girls' state series mirrors the boys' format with seven divisions. Final Four weekends moved back to UD Arena in Dayton for 2025-26 alongside the boys'. The girls' field finishes one week ahead of the boys' bracket.

Ohio high school basketball festival run by Bleacher Republic at the Columbus Convention Center. Started in 2024 with a 'Central Ohio vs. the State' theme. The 2025 edition expanded to 125+ games adding girls' high school games and youth/middle school divisions.

Annual MN vs. WI showcase created in 2006 by Breakdown USA and the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook. Site rotates between the two states. Minnesota leads the all-time series 69-44 through 20 years.