Texas runs the largest high school basketball system in the country through UIL. State tournament finals ("State") are held in early March at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The Whataburger Tournament in San Antonio is the state's longest-running national-draw holiday event.
Houston-area Pasadena ISD hosts what's been billed as Texas's largest pre-Thanksgiving high school tournament. Played the Thursday-Friday-Saturday before Thanksgiving across multiple Pasadena ISD gyms, with a free YouTube stream.
Tournament details →Lubbock. About 96 teams across nine gyms in four ISDs over three days at year-end. Run by Lubbock Caprock AMBUCS, with proceeds funding adaptive AmTrykes for people with disabilities. Every team gets at least four games, no entry fee.
Tournament details →Allen, north Dallas suburb. Roughly 96 games over three days at end of December. Field skews heavy on Texas 6A programs with national invitees mixed in. The host gym (Eagle Fieldhouse) seats more than most college venues, so attendance is real.
Tournament details →Fort Worth / DFW Metroplex, late December. 65 editions running. Played across multiple Mansfield/Fort Worth high schools (Whataburger sponsors but is HQ'd in San Antonio — the tournament moved to DFW years ago). Operated by Championship Basketball Inc. Two divisions: Orange (top tier) and Blue.
Tournament details →Texas private/parochial state finals, classifications 1A through 6A boys and girls. Played at multiple host sites the last weekend of February. The TAPPS counterpart to UIL for accredited Texas private schools.
Tournament details →San Antonio. The UIL public-school state tournament for boys and girls, all classifications 1A through 6A, played at the Alamodome in March. Earn your way through district and regional brackets to get here.
Tournament details →The University Interscholastic League (UIL) for public schools. Private schools fall under TAPPS or SPC.
The Alamodome in San Antonio, in early March.
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 →