With Fall Leagues, the Tip Off Classics, the Border Battle, and annual Summer Showcases, The Breakdown has become the group that year round brings together the best high school teams for banner events. Now The Breakdown has added something new, the Summer Showcase Invite, held this Sunday, July 31 at Lakeville South High School.

The Breakdown has creatively proven time and time again that they can bring together talent for an event, show the fans and teams to a great time, and then a year later make it even better in the years to come. The Summer Showcase Invite this Sunday will be no different as it’s expected to kick off with a bang and then become a late summer tradition for years to come.

The Summer Showcase Invite is a one-day event where teams will play three games overall.

"Big Four" for the boys

On the boys' side, the headliner is "The Big Four" matching a top team from each class. The participants are Maranatha Christian Academy (Class A) led by Darrian Pittman, Perham (defending Class AA state champion) led by Mark Shumacher and Jordan Bruhn, Benilde-St. Margaret's (Class AAA) led by Sanjay Lumpkin, Isaiah Zierden, and Will Dunn, and Apple Valley (Class AAAA) led by Tyus Jones, Harry Sonnie, and Dustin Fronk.

The Gold Division includes superstars such as Carey Woods of Bemidji; Grant Pope and Tate Harmon of Waterville-Elysian-Morristown; the young talent of Roseville; Casey Bruggeman, Ryan Bruggeman, and Casey Halbakken of Pelican Rapids; Ryan Dahl of Holy Family; Ian Theisen of Osseo; and the next generation of Lakeville South talent.

The Silver Division has St. Cloud Apollo; Carson Shanks and Jon Sobaski of Prior Lake; Joey Bartlett of St. Peter; Anthony Hill and Champlin Park; Duke Anywanu and Blaine; Buffalo; Owatonna and Mound-Westonka.

Girls rock the brackets

The girls' invitational has an interesting mix of top players and teams from different classes going head-to-head for titles in two divisions, varsity red and blue.

In the red bracket, Maranatha Christian might be as talented as any team in the state with All-State guard Alexis Long and stalwarts Onye Osemenam and Madison Lee.  Don't count out Lakeville North despite graduating a second straight Miss Basketball (Rachel Banham).  Keep an eye on Simley with youngsters Alexis Boyd-Lockett and Kylie Brown; Jackson County Central's duo of Whitney Burmeister and Kaylee Benson; Christine Thorn and Natalie Van Wyhe of St. Michael-Albertville; young Ellie Thompson of Chaska; Roseville's Jacqlyn Poss, Allison Cordes and Monica Burich; and Isle's high-scoring Maja Coomes and Lindsey Lahr.

In the blue bracket, watch out for fast-rising Wayzta with its All-State duo of Marissa Grossfeld and Kayla Timmerman, a front-court pairing that would cause any team trouble.  They'll be tested though, by Amie Tunheim of Orono; Lauren Trumm of Alexandria; Buffalo's Emily Spier; Stephanie Helt and Hannah Anderson of Rochester Lourdes; New Prague's Anna Rynda; and the terrific Staples-Motley sophomores of Jaelin Beachy and Mikayla Wing along with junior Kelly Pearson.  Champlin Park still should have Alexis Alexander leading the way, although Kate Darnell may be lost for the season with a recent knee injury.

The Summer Showcase Invite will have a defending state champ plus expected 2011-12 state championship contenders as well as some of the elite prospects and players in the state. It will truly be one of the elite summer high school basketball gatherings and kick off a tradition for years to come.

Ryan James provided the boys' previews and overall tournament overview, while Tim Kolehmainen contributed to the girls' previews.