Nov. 21, 2006

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announces that the world's leader and innovator of sporting goods has signed on to become the title sponsor of one of the nation's top high school tournaments, The Hoophall Classic. The tournament is developed and hosted by the world's finest sports museum, the Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts - the birthplace of basketball. Big Y World Class Markets, a Springfield based family owned food store, has been the presenting sponsor of the Hoophall Classic since it's inception in 2002.

The tournament will take place January 12-15, 2007 at Blake Arena on the campus of Springfield College where the game was invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891. Over 100+ Division I players and 9 of the nation's Top 25 teams by the USA Today will take part in the four day tournament. Nationally ranked teams include DeMatha Catholic of Maryland, Norcross High School of Georgia, St. Patrick's High School of New Jersey and Mount Vernon High School of New York, to name a few. Top ten players in the nation will include Michael Beasley of Notre Dame Prep (MA), Donte Green of Towson Catholic (MD) and Jerryd Bayless of St. Mary's (AZ). Three games will be televised live nationally by CSTV on Sunday night.

Spalding, the company that developed the first basketball the official basketball supplier of the NBA and WNBA, has committed to a three year sponsorship with the Basketball Hall of Fame including the Title Sponsorship of the high school tournament for the next three years. "The Hall of Fame and Spalding have worked together for many years, says Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO, John L. Doleva. This new sponsorship is just one more contribution to the museum and to the game", says Doleva.

"Quote here quote here quote here quote here", says Daniel Touhey, vice president of Spalding marketing of Spalding. "Another quote here", he adds.

Spalding has been the official basketball of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame since 2005.

The Tournament Schedule is as follows:

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level - professional, collegiate, men and women. For more information on these and other upcoming events, please visit our website at www.hoophall.com or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA.