Sophie Cunningham Classic set to host many of country's elite recruits

Top talent from Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois will be on display Jan. 10-12
Sophie Cunningham (middle left) gathers with the Rock Bridge girls basketball team during the Sophie Cunningham Classic on Dec. 4, 2022, at Columbia, Mo.
Sophie Cunningham (middle left) gathers with the Rock Bridge girls basketball team during the Sophie Cunningham Classic on Dec. 4, 2022, at Columbia, Mo. / Chris Kwiecinski/Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sophie Cunningham is one of the greatest women’s basketball players to hail from Columbia, Mo., and once again the tournament honoring her name will be bringing some of the best girls basketball players in the country to Columbia.

This weekend, Jan. 10-12, the annual Sophie Cunningham Classic presented by Norm Stewart will tip off on Bob Burchard Court at the Southwell Complex on the campus of Columbia College.

The tournament features teams from Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois.

Play tips off at 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday with Missouri’s Lift for Life Academy taking on Liberty North, followed by Hickman vs. Principia, 3 p.m.; Lutheran St. Charles vs. Booker T. Washington (Okla.), 4:30; Blue Valley North (Kan.) vs. Rock Bridge, 6; Doniphan vs. California, 7:30; and Ursuline Academy vs. Father Tolton Catholic at 9.

Saturday’s action starts at 9:30 a.m. with Bishop Meige (Kan.) vs. John Burroughs, followed by Link Academy vs. Cardinal Ritter, 11 a.m.; Principia vs. Quincy (Ill.), 12:30 p.m.; Incarnate Word Academy vs. Blue Valley North, 2; Olathe South (Kan.) vs. Lutheran St. Charles, 3:30; Booker T. Washington vs. Park Hill South, 5; Staley vs. Whitney Young, 6:30; Strafford vs. Centralia, 8; and Skyline vs. Battle at 9:30.

Action concludes on Sunday as Macks Creek takes on Fulton at 9:30 a.m., followed by Lift for Life vs. Link Academy, 11 a.m.; Whitney Young (Ill.) vs. Incarnate Word Academy, 12:30 p.m.; Quincy (Ill.) vs. Strafford, 2; Cardinal Ritter vs. Hickman, 3:30 and concludes with Tipton vs. Rock Bridge at 5.

Here’s a look at 10 of the country’s top players who will be performing in this weekend’s games.

Jordan Speiser, sr., 6-1, G, Lutheran St. Charles [committed to Kansas State]

Speiser is the No. 10 ranked senior in the Class of 2025 and is the reigning Gatorade Missouri Player of the year after averaging 23.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals as a junior.

Through 10 games this season, Speiser is averaging 20.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals.

Jaliyah Davis, sr., 6-2, F, Blue Valley North (Kan.) [committed to Kansas]

The top-ranked player in Kansas, Davis is rated a 5-star by ESPNW and ranked the No. 17 overall recruit in the nation.

Destiny Jackson, sr., 5-6, G, Whitney Young (Ill.) [committed to Illinois]

Averaged 14.4 points as a freshman, 18.0 as a sophomore and 16.6 as a junior. She is ranked the No. 25 in the nation and No. 6 at her position by ESPNW HoopGurlz. She is the top-ranked player in the state of Illinois by 247Sports.

Marcayla Johnson, sr., 6-0, G, Booker T. Washington (Okla.) [signed with Baylor]

Recently named MVP of the 2024 Oklahoma Tournament of Champions, Johnson is ranked a 4-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPNW. She’s ranked the no. 41 senior by ESPNW HoopGurlz.

Aubrey Shaw, sr., 6-2, F, Blue Valley North (Kan.) [committed to Harvard]

She had offers from just about everyone, but the 4-star ESPN recruit ranked No. 43 overall in the 2025 class chose Harvard over Oklahoma, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas State, Arkansas, Arizona, TCU, and Mississippi State.

Nevaeh Caffey, sr., 5-10, G, Incarnate Word Academy [committed to Indiana]

Having never lost a basketball game at the high school level, Caffey helped Incarnate Word to the Class 6 state championship last season while averaging 14 points. She currently ranks No. 67 on the ESPNW HoopGurlz top 100 recruits for the 2025 class.

Addison Bjorn, jr., 6-2, guard, Park Hill South

Perhaps the most talented and decorated player in the tournament, Bjorn was selected to the USA Women’s U16 National Team on June 4, 2023, and went on to help Team USA go 6-0 at the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship later that year in Merida, Mexico.

She again was selected as a member of the Team USA U17 National Team on May 24, 2024. Ranked No. 11 in the nation in the 2026 recruiting class, Bjorn is believed to be holding offers from UCONN, Iowa, Colorado and Vanderbilt among many others.

Jayda Porter, jr., 6-4, forward/center, Rock Bridge

A powerful player who can take over a game in an instant, Porter is a 4-star recruit from nearby Rock Bridge and the No. 29 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class per ESPN HoopGurlz. She holds a host of offers from Power 4 schools.  

Eve Long, soph., 6-3, forward, Olathe South (Kan.)

Long is a rising player you’ll certainly want to keep an eye on. The talented sophomore is a presence in the paint. Believed to have a host of Power 4 offers in hand, she’s currently the No. 16 prospect in the Class of 2027, per ESPN HoopGurlz.

Khloe Nicholson, fr., 6-1, guard/forward, Quincy (Ill.)

Nicholson is the top-ranked freshman in the tournament and one of the best in the country. Already believed to have multiple Power 4 offers, Nicholson is ranked No. 17 in the 2028 recruiting class, per ESPN HoopGurlz. Through 16 games this season, she is averaging 7.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.3 steals.

More high school sports news:

Top Arkansas Razorbacks recruit Jordan Martin has Missouri buzzing

Top 5-star recruit Aaliyah Chavez scores 50, exits early in blowout

Is Oklahoma about to steal nation’s No. 1 high school recruit Aaliyah Chavez from Texas?

The 'Other' Cam Ward Is A Michigan State Commit and One of The Nation's Brightest Hig


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