Team Experience

The Governors Challenge provides a premiere event experience for high school basketball players. Our mission is to provide a platform for players to gain exposure, play in top-notch facilities and have the experience of professionals.

Don't just take our word for it:

Bones Hyland, NBA player, VCU Alumn, St. George's (DE) - "One of the best events there is in HS basketball! Governors Challenge does a great job hosting there events & showcasing players for exposure! Scored my 1,000 points there and it felt amazing!"

BJ Johnson, Head Coach Boys Varsity, Stephen Decatur High School (Berlin, MD) – "This is a great event. The Governors Challenge allows you to play competitive teams that you don’t normally see in the regular season. It is a great test for us as we look to make another run at the state championship."

Will Bartz, Head Coach Boys Varsity, Gilman (Baltimore, MD) - “I think it would be challenging for a coach to find a tournament that is more comprehensive than the Governors Challenge in Salisbury, MD. James Simmons and his team provide an incredible atmosphere with first-class accommodations. From playing a championship game on the main floor of the Wicomico Civic Center, the awesome free event t-shirts for every coach and player, to an NBA All-Star weekend model of a skills challenge, three point and dunk contests, the tournament offers players a once-in-a-lifetime all-encompassing experience. Wicomico County and Salisbury, MD provide incredible accommodations and plenty of options that make it a wonderful team bonding activity. It is a privilege to be invited to the Governors Challenge, which I believe to be the best holiday tournament in the Mid-Atlantic region!"

Phil Colicchio, Head Coach Boys Varsity, Elizabeth High School (Elizabeth, NJ) - "The Governors Challenge is as good as any Christmas tournament we have played in across the country. The hospitality for teams is second to none."

Find out more about the experience here.

Recruiting & Exposure

DMVelite – As partners/promoters of the Governors Challenge, DMVelite provides full media coverage of the event each year through photo and video content, social media content and excellent representation in college recruiting through its DMV Recruiting Guide. College coaches of all levels across the country subscribe to this guide each year. DMVelite provides game and bracket recaps, top performers, recruiting updates, all-tournament teams and more content geared specifically for team and player exposure.

College Coaches – A wide variety of college coaches attend each year from Division I to the JUCO division. College coaches receive access to the player book with high school coach contact information, an event program and access to the coaches’ hospitality room free of charge.

Media – A wide variety of media outlets attend each year. There is tremendous local and regional coverage of the event through traditional TV, radio and newspaper media, including a dedicated selection show for the event. During the selection show on Delmarva Sports Network, the field of teams and schedule are released. The event has developed a national following as well, garnering coverage from MaxPreps, NBC Sports, CBS, ABC, MADE Hoops, Capitol Hoops, Overtime, Prep hoops, Hoop Group, Elevate Hoops and others, including making MaxPreps’ High School Basketball Tournaments and Events to Watch list and Sports Planning Guide’s 20 Events Worth Watching list.

Legit Stats – Legit Stats is the official statistics provider for the Governors Challenge. Legit Stats produces box scores and tracks event statistics for every varsity game. Box Scores are printed and available at halftime and the conclusion of each game.

Facilities

The Governors Challenge is played at top-notch facilities for high school basketball. The newly renovated Wicomico Civic Center, a 5,000-seat arena with all new seats and upgraded flooring and walls, serves as the hub of the event. Other aesthetic upgrades have also been made in the last year. With two full-size, 94-foot courts, this arena hosts most of the showcase games, bracket championships and the ever-popular Governors Challenge All-Star Experience. Other facilities include the D1 arena at University of Maryland Eastern Shore and the tournament founder's home court at Wicomico High School. 

Media Day

The Governors Challenge and Shore Hoops Media Day, hosted in late November, invites any participating Governors Challenge teams as well as others from the Delmarva Peninsula to come together at the Wicomico Civic Center. At the Civic Center, players can participate in interviews about the upcoming season with local and regional media. In addition to formal interviews there will be Tiny Mic interviews, a photo and video shoot for players, a sneak peak at this year's trophies and games. For more information, contact Tournament Director James Simmons.

Player Experience

The experience of every player that participates in the Governors Challenge is unmatched by any other high school basketball tournament around. In addition to the elite facilities, competition, all-star experience, exposure to college coaches, high level media coverage & more, we strive for every player to be treated as if they are the Tournament MVP. Every player receives a free event t-shirt, free access to our Athlete Lounge which includes free haircuts from professional barbers, NBA 2K contests, unlimited popcorn & drinks, and so much more. With the combination of the fun and exciting atmosphere that accompanies playing in a Professional, or College, arena and the unforgettable off the court experience, the Governors Challenge environment truly can’t be beat.

Barbers, courtesy of Fade 4 The Grade, will be on site Dec. 26-30, 2-7 p.m. in the Athlete Lounge.

All-Star Experience

Similar to NBA All-Star Saturday Night, the Governors Challenge offers the All-Star Experience to players participating in the tournament. Space is limited in these competitions. For more information, see the All-Star Experience page.

Practice Time

Limited practice availability is available in the Wicomico Civic Center on a first-come, first-served basis by contacting Tournament Operations Director James Simmons. The Salisbury School is available for practice time at a minimal fee by contacting Head Coach Brandon Hudson.

Things to Do

Located just 30 minutes from the well-known resort town of Ocean City, MD, Wicomico County and Salisbury, Maryland, have plenty of things for your team to do off the court. For more information, visit Wicomico County Tourism.