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The 20th edition of the Hawk Kreul Classic includes 32 teams featuring Florida's finest programs competing against top-caliber contenders from North Carolina, Washington DC, Texas, Kansas and New York. Highlighted by nationally ranked players, the quest for a Hawk Kreul title will take place in three different brackets.

CHAMINADE-MADONNA Hollywood, FL
The Lions look to start fresh with new coach Tony Perkins, a former assistant at four-time state champion Monsignor Pace. Perkins’ son Darius, who transferred from Ft. Myers Dunbar, should provide an explosive scoring punch for Chaminade. Over the summer, SLAM Magazine ranked Darius the No. 22 junior in the country.

COOLIDGE Washington, DC
Coolidge won its second straight West championship in the tough D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association. Diminutive point guard Julian Williams and Jeremy Underwood – both first-team all-league selections – provide a potent backcourt tandem while 6-7 junior Juwan Watkins looks to solidify the frontcourt.

CORAL SPRINGS CHRISTIAN Coral Springs, FL
The Crusaders look to build on last year’s 20-7 record. Kyle Lindbergh, a 6-7 forward, is the first CSCA player to receive a college scholarship (Dordt College). He is joined in the frontcourt by 6-3 Josh Hagler. Senior guard Derek Domino – an AAU teammate of Lindbergh and Hagler – will run the point after transferring from St. Thomas Aquinas.

DILLARD Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Perennial power Dillard nearly upset nationally ranked St. Benedict’s (N.J.) in last year’s Kreul championship game. Coach Darryl Burrows, who led the Panthers to four state championships from 2000-’03, looks to reload behind a pair of big men – highly touted 6-5 junior Jeremiah Eason and 6-7 senior Gerald Anthony -- along with 6-4 senior guard Rubyne Burrows.

DWYER Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Always a threat to win the tournament championship, the Panthers also won Kreul titles in ’02 and ’07. Dwyer has twice captured the state crown under coach Fred Ross, falling by a point in the state semifinals last season. Versatile guard/forward Jacoby Brissett is a star quarterback for the powerful Dwyer football team.

KAMIT INSTITUTE (KIMA) Washington, DC
A highlight of last year’s season for KIMA was notching a double-digit victory over national powerhouse National Christian. The Hawks are anchored by 6-9 Jonathan Arledge, who has committed to 2006 Final Four team George Mason. The addition of 6-8 transfers Eugene McCrory and Jawan Newman makes for an imposing frontline.

MIRAMAR Miramar, FL
The Patriots have won three straight district championships, knocking off Florida’s consensus top team Boyd Anderson in last year’s playoffs. Cat-quick senior guard Xavier Martin is rapidly attracting attention from Division I programs after scoring 20 a game last season and impressing scouts in various summer tournaments and camps.

MONSIGNOR PACE Miami, FL
One of the state’s premier programs, Pace has won four state championships (1999, 2003, ’07, ’08) in Mark Lieberman’s 13 years at the helm. The young Spartans will be led by the junior backcourt of Cody Mann and Damian Parms. Highly regarded freshmen Malik Price-Martin (6-8) and Marquedius Bain (6-6) are joined by 6-7 transfer Kristan Rolle.

NORTHEAST Oakland Park, FL
A regional semifinalist last year, the Hurricanes are led by Jelani Hewitt (26 ppg), a first-team all-state selection who is ranked the No. 36 senior shooting guard in the nation by ESPN.com. Hewitt is joined by returning starters Daniel Sapp, a high-scoring junior, and sophomore Demetrius Sapp, a 6-8 forward with tremendous potential.

NORTH MIAMI BEACH North Miami Beach, FL
A pair of strong frontcourt players provides senior leadership for the Chargers. Six-four Craig Brown is NMB’s lockdown defender and a capable scorer, while Emory Bennett is a 6-7, 250-pound lefty who can play inside and out. Petite point guard Imani Edwards (5-6) has the quickness and ballhandling ability to run the team as a freshman.

PINE CREST Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The Panthers have won consecutive 3A state championships behind Brandon Knight, the most heralded prep player in South Florida history. As a junior, Knight became only the third player to win Gatorade National Player of the Year. The others?  Lebron James and Greg Oden. Tevin Westbrook and Traveon Henry lead a strong supporting cast.

PRESTONWOOD Plano, TX
The Lions come off their best season in school history – a state championship appearance and 30-9 record. Prestonwood’s pair of exceptional underclassmen has already garnered loads of national attention. Hoop Scoop ranks 6-8 Zach Peters the country’s sixth-best sophomore and 6-7 Julius Randle the No. 4 freshman.

QUALITY EDUCATION Winston-Salem, NC
The Pharaohs finished 27-6 and feature a pair of high-level Division I prospects in Quincy Miller and Stargell Love. A 6-8 forward, Miller is rated the No. 2 junior power forward and counts Duke and Kentucky among his suitors. Quality plays one of the nation’s toughest schedules and will be tough to beat in the Kreul.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Primarily known as a football power, Aquinas has reached the pinnacle on the hardwood as well, capturing a state championship in 2001 and a Kreul title in 2006. More than 25 Raiders players have gone on to play college ball during Coach Steve Strand’s 14-year tenure as head coach. Six-foot-seven senior Joe Zavertnik leads the way.

THE ROCK Gainesvile, FL
One of the state’s premier small schools, The Rock features a backcourt of Dennis Mavin and Scott Wilbekin, each considered among the top ten guards in the state in their respective classes. Three “long” newcomers solidify the frontcourt: Six-nine senior Oyemiyi Ayotunde and sophomores Glenn Feidanga (6-7) and Alain Chiqha (6-6).

WEST BOCA Boca Raton, FL
West Boca makes its first appearance in the Kreul under head coach Joe Nappi. Junior Anthony Anderson (6-5) is a top Florida recruit who sat out last season after transferring from Boca Raton. Anderson scored 17 points a game as a freshman at Boca High. Last season the Bulls finished 13-13.

FLORIDA CHALLENGE

ATLANTIC Delray Beach, FL
Known for their football prowess, the Eagles (21-7) recorded their first 20-win season in more than 20 years. The top returner for Atlantic is 6-3 Emmanuel Tiluscar, a sterling 3-point shooter who scored 17 points a game. Inside force Leroy Haye, a 6-4 senior, notched 16.5 rebounds per contest.

CORAL GLADES Coral Springs, FL
Six-five Yonathan Ghebrezgi, a 15-point a game scorer as a junior, is the team’s top returner. Fellow senior Ridley Harding also brings a double-digit scoring average from 2008-09. Head coach Tariq Qaiyim has been with Coral Glades since the school’s inception in 2004-05. The Jaguars return to the Kreul after a two-year absence.

CYPRESS BAY Weston, FL
Cypress Bay is led by senior guard Eric Katz, who averaged 12 points a game last season. Despite losing a strong crop of seniors, 2002 Broward County Coach of the Year Jason Looky usually puts the Lightning in a position to make a district title run.

DEERFIELD Deerfield Beach, FL
A familiar Kreul participant, the Bucks finished 19-8 in one of the toughest districts in the state. The Bucks return two starters, Jimmy Garner and Bryant Willis. They are joined by key newcomers Khambrel Hugley-Brown, a 6-3 senior transfer from Georgia who scored 18 points a game last season, and freshman stand-out Terence Johnson. 

PROVIDENCE Jacksonville, FL
The powerful Stallions, who posted a 27-2 record last season, benefit from two transfers who have committed to top Southeastern Conference programs. Dominant 6-8 F Patric Young – SLAM Magazine’s No. 21 senior – will play for Billy Donovan at Florida, while slasher Stacey Poole – No. 48 on SLAM’S list – has committed to John Calipari at Kentucky.

NORLAND Miami, FL
Six-seven senior Marvin Baynham, who committed to Georgia Southern, leads Norland. Speedy junior A.J. Roberts is a tough combo guard, while cousin Cleon Roberts, a sophomore sharpshooter, has attracted the attention of Florida State and Georgia Tech. The Vikings won two state titles under coach Lawton Williams III (2006, ’08)

ST. ANTHONY’S Long Island, NY
The Friars return 11 players, including 6-2 guard Rex Gordon, a 20-points-per-game scorer who garnered an all-county selection. Two more seniors on whom the Long Island school will rely are Niko Roberts (14 ppg) and 6-6 forward Marko Peraica (10 points, eight rebounds per game).

SUNRISE CHRISTIAN Wichita, KS
The Buffaloes (24-3) finished the 2009 season ranked No. 7 among 3,000 schools by the National Private School Association. Raphael Akpejiori, a 6-9 power forward from Nigeria, has made an oral commitment to the University of Miami. Senior TheLeon Cooper, Jr. and junior Janis Matulis provide firepower from the backcourt.

CORAL SPRINGS CHALLENGE

BARRON COLLIER Naples, FL
Head coach Carlos Clark was a member of the 1984 World Champion Boston Celtics and played 11 years in Europe. Last season – Clark’s first with the Cougars – the team compiled an 18-9 record, finishing third in the Gulf Shore Shootout. The Cougars are led by 6-3 sophomore guard Deion Clark.

BELEN JESUIT Miami, FL
Participating in the Kreul for the third straight year, the Wolverines return nine players, including four starters, from last season’s 21-7 team. Under Coach Jose Roca, Belen relies on a relentless defense for its success. Top players are team co-MVPs Reginald Colas, a 6-0 guard, and 6-4 forward Pablo Alvarez.

CARDINAL GIBBONS Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The Chiefs are led by senior Sam Mills, a steady 3-point shooter who is considered one of the top combination guards in Florida. A 6-3 senior, Mills signed with La Salle after receiving offers from the likes Miami, Georgia Tech and Auburn. Gibbons comes off a 14-11 season under third-year coach Marty Seidlin.

CORAL SPRINGS Coral Springs, FL
As the tournament’s host school, the Colts are the only team to have participated in all 20 Kreul Classics. Coach Matt Dearen, who took over the program two years ago, will look to 6-3 point guard senior Alex Kosloff . Two of the school’s most accomplished athletes are Minnesota Viking Steve Hutchinson, a perennial All-Pro offensive guard, and Walter Dix, bronze medalist in the 100 meters at the Beijing Olympics.

MOUNT AIRY Mount Airy, NC
The Granite Bears (25-5) notched their fourth straight 20-win season. Sharpshooter Wade Moody (16.8 ppg) is flanked by fellow seniors Justin Collier, a wing, and 6-5 power forward Andy Miller. Mount Airy is best known for being the hometown of actor Andy Griffith, depicted as Mayberry in The Andy Griffith Show.

PAHOKEE Pahokee, FL
Located in the “Muck” area near Lake Okeechobee, Pahokee is known primarily as a football powerhouse. Entering 2009, the Blue Devils had won five football state titles in six years. Starting with the Kreul, Pahokee hopes its gridiron success can be translated to the hardwood.

SOUTH BROWARD Hollywood, FL
South Browards’ signature game last season was a 15-point victory over a Miramar team that eliminated once-nationally ranked Boyd Anderson from the playoffs. This year, 5-10 junior guard, Kevin Grooms, a highly recruited D1 football stand-out, will lead the ‘dogs attack for first-year head coach Matt Rosdahl.

WEKIVA Apopka, FL
A fledgling program from Central Florida, the third-year school returns nine of its top 11 players. Six-two junior Jordan Clark, an 11 ppg scorer, captured the 6A state high jump championship. Senior Jordan Freeman, a 6-6 post player, is the team’s leading returning rebounder. Junior D’Andre Bullard brings his talents from JV to varsity.