Featured Event Friday: Nike EYBL Scholastic Christ School Classic
The Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission in partnership with Nike EYBL Scholastic & Christ School, hosted the Christ School Classic, at Christ School in Arden, NC. This partnership brought a nationally recognized elite high school basketball event to Western North Carolina. As the first‑ever Nike EYBL Scholastic tournament hosted by Christ School, the event significantly elevated the region’s visibility within elite prep basketball and positioned Asheville as a capable host for top‑tier national competitions.
The tournament welcomed five nationally prominent programs—Christ School, Montverde Academy, Brewster Academy, The St. James, and La Lumiere School—drawing athletes, coaching staffs, families, media, and spectators from outside the region. This influx of out‑of‑market visitors contributed to overnight stays and visitor spending at local hotels, restaurants, and businesses during a winter weekend.
The three‑day event was supported by a number of community volunteers, including Christ School staff and students, ABRSC core volunteers, and the Harrah’s Cherokee Center, who assisted with entry operations. Attendance brought out over 850 fans, creating an energetic atmosphere and demonstrating strong collaboration between educational institutions, sports organizations, and destination partners. The successful execution strengthened relationships with national sports stakeholders and showcased the community’s ability to host future Nike EYBL Scholastic and similar elite youth sporting events.
“The success of the Christ School Classic is mostly due to the tremendous efforts of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission. Repeatedly we received glowing remarks of how well “our tournament” was organized. This was among many veteran schools of the EYBL who have been attending and hosting these tournaments for many years. We consistently gave credit to the ABRSC commission. The Christ School Classic would not have been a success without their involvement! They led the logistical planning of the tournament from the very beginning. They thought of and handled all aspects: air travel, lodging, ground transportation, food, hospitality room, media, tickets, t-shirt sales, media coverage, website design, etc… Additionally, they were great and would recommend to anyone to use their expertise.”
- Duncan Param, A.D., Strength Coach, Science Teacher Christ School
Game 5 Recap Video: (1) Montverde VS Christ School