Eight of the Top-Ranked Boys Teams and Four of the Top-Ranked Girls Teams in the Country Set to Compete in the DICK'S Sporting Goods High School Nationals Basketball Tournament in New York City

NEW YORK, March 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Featuring the best high school basketball talent in the country, The DICK'S Sporting Goods High School Nationals returns to New York City for the third-consecutive year. For the first time in tournament history, all eight of the boys teams and all four of the girls teams selected to play in the eighth-annual high school basketball tournament are ranked in the USA Today Super 25 Expert Rankings. This year's pool will also include five state champions.

In the boys field, three-time defending champion Montverde Academy (FL) will attempt to win an unprecedented fourth title, while Oak Hill Academy (VA) will look to win their first ever DICK'S Nationals. Also, two teams that won state titles will participate in the tournament this year including Miller Grove High School (GA) and Providence Day School (NC).

The girls field includes three different state champions as well: Seton Catholic Prep (AZ), Ribault High School (FL) and St. Francis High School (GA). Riverdale Baptist (MD) will have the opportunity to become the first three-time champion on the girls side.

"At DICK'S, we believe that sports matter and serving as the title sponsor of this great event for the third-straight year gives us the chance to provide these players, their families and their fans with a first-class experience," said Mark Rooks, Vice President of Sports and Community Marketing, DICK'S Sporting Goods. "This year's tournament features an impressive field of teams from across the country, and we're excited to watch them compete in the coming weeks in New York City."

The three-day, single-elimination tournament begins Thursday, March 31, at 12 p.m. (boys quarterfinals on ESPNU) and continues on Friday, April 1, at 11 a.m. from Christ the King High School (girls semifinals on ESPNU and boys semifinals on ESPN2). On Saturday, April 2, competition shifts to Madison Square Garden, where a girls (ESPN2 at 10 a.m.) and boys champion (12 p.m. on ESPN) will be crowned.

Tickets are available now at dicksnationaltournament.com. For games played at Christ the King High School, general admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets for games played at Madison Square Garden start at $15.

Both the boys and girls field will have a McDonald's All-American representative, with Alterique Gilbert of Miller Grove (GA) and Kaila Charles of Riverdale Baptist (MD).

To be eligible to be selected to the tournament, participating schools must be four-year high school, independent or public, and have their respective governing body's permission to participate. Tournament teams were chosen by a selection committee.

2016 DICK'S Sporting Goods High School National Tournament Participating Boys Team Guide:

About DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Founded in 1948, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of January 30, 2016, the Company operated more than 640 DICK'S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a blend of dedicated associates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Lodge/Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, DICK'S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, Field & Stream, True Runner and Chelsea Collective specialty stores. DICK'S offers its products through a content-rich eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides customers with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront.  For more information, visit the Press Room or Investor Relations pages at DICKS.com.

About The Madison Square Garden Company
The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) is a world leader in live sports and entertainment with a portfolio of legendary sports teams, exclusive entertainment productions and celebrated venues.  MSG Sports owns and operates some of the most widely recognized sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL) and the New York Liberty (WNBA), along with two development league teams -- the Westchester Knicks (NBADL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL).  MSG Sports also presents a broad array of world-class sporting events, including: professional boxing, college basketball, tennis, bull riding and e-gaming events.  MSG Entertainment features exclusive, original productions that include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and New York Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rockettes.  MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts a wide variety of live entertainment offerings, including concerts, family shows and special events, in the Company's diverse collection of iconic venues. These venues are: New York's Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, California; The Chicago Theatre; and the Wang Theatre in Boston, MA.  More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com

About Paragon Marketing Group
Paragon Marketing Group is a corporate consulting agency specializing in sports, entertainment and cause related sponsorships. Paragon, owns and operates the DICK'S Sporting Goods High School Nationals Basketball Tournament and has partnered with ESPN over the past 13 years to deliver over 450 live high school football and basketball telecasts featuring many of the top teams and players in the nation. Paragon's consulting clients include Bayer, Gatorade, PNC Bank, Yokohama and UCHealth.

For further information on DICK'S High School Nationals and for media enquiries please contact: [email protected]

For further information about DICK'S Sporting Goods please contact: [email protected], or by phone: 724.273.5552

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SOURCE DICK'S Sporting Goods

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