South Carolina high school basketball is governed by SCHSL. The state hosts the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach each December — one of the longest-running national-draw holiday tournaments in the country.
Myrtle Beach Convention Center, late December. Sixteen-team national field — every team plays multiple games. Long history (since 1981) and consistent national media coverage put this near the top of the holiday tournament tier.
Tournament details →Columbia, South Carolina — in its 13th year at Ridge View High School. Six South Carolina programs and six national-draw teams play a nine-game weekend in early-to-mid December. The 2025 field pulled programs from Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia. Includes a Nike EYBL Scholastic matchup and a free kids camp.
Tournament details →Charleston, South Carolina — SCHSL-sanctioned holiday tournament running December 27-30 across the top high school gyms in the Lowcountry footprint. Four divisions: varsity boys and girls, JV boys and girls. BallerTV streams every game.
Tournament details →Columbia, South Carolina — multi-bracket holiday tournament that has hosted future NCAA and NBA stars for over two decades. Title sponsor changed after 2024 (the local Chick-fil-A operators stepped back), but the tournament continues under the same brand and management. Plays the back half of Christmas week across multiple Columbia gyms.
Tournament details →South Carolina High School League state finals returned to Colonial Life Arena in 2026 for the first time since 2020 — a five-year gap that ended with both boys and girls finals back on the SEC-sized floor March 5-7. Brackets seed off region tournaments through the regular season.
Tournament details →The South Carolina High School League (SCHSL).
National Prep Tournament · March 6–8, 2026
National Prep Tournament in Fort Walton Beach, Florida takes both high school and post-grad programs. Applications stay open through October 31. If you want a competitive early-March slot without invitation-only barriers, this is the one to apply for.
Apply for the National Prep Tournament →