Gatorade-Timberwolves Shootout 2007

The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced that the 11th annual Gatorade-Timberwolves Shootout will be held at Target Center on Saturday, Jan. 6. The Shootout will feature six of the state's top boys basketball programs matching up with prep forces from across the nation. FSN North, the Minnesota Timberwolves broadcast partner, will televise all games.

The first game of the day, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., will feature the Minnetonka Skippers, a team that features one of the top players in the state, Anthony Tucker, versus Leflore High School of Mobile, Alabama. Leflore has been one of the top teams in the State of Alabama the past three years, accumulating a 92-12 record in that span. Leflore’s top player, Nick Williams, has signed on to play at Marquette University next season.

The second game of the day, tipping off at 12 p.m., will feature Benilde St. Margaret’s, versus Taft High School of Woodland Hills, California. The Taft team features guard Larry Drew Jr., one of the highest rated guards in the country. His father, Larry Drew Sr., played 10 seasons in the NBA and is currently an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks. Benilde’s starting point guard, Jordan Taylor, has signed with the University of Wisconsin.

The third game, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., will pit Hopkins, the two-time Class AAAA Minnesota Champions, and Campbell Hall High School from Los Angeles California. Blake Hoffarber, a recruit of the University of Minnesota, lead Hopkins in scoring last season by averaging 17.9 points per game. Campbell is led by junior guard Jrue Holliday, the number three rated junior in the country.

The fourth game, tipping off at 4 p.m., will pit Osseo, a team that finished 17-10 last season, and Lake Oswego High School, the defending Oregon Class 4A Champion. Lake Oswego’s roster includes Kevin Love, who is regarded by many as being the number one rated high school player in the country. The heavily recruited Love recently chose to attend UCLA. Osseo has three players on its roster being recruited by numerous Division I schools.

The fifth game of the day, scheduled for 6 p.m., will feature Cretin-Derham Hall versus Westbury Christian High School of Houston, Texas. Westbury Christian returns six of its top seven players from the 2006 State Championship team. Cretin, led by football standouts Broderick Binns and Michael Floyd, finished 26-3 last season, losing to Woodbury in the section finals. Westbury Christian is making its second appearance in the Timberwolves Shootout.

The final game of the day begins at 8 p.m. and features Maranatha Christian Academy in Brooklyn Park taking on Linn-Mar High School of Marion, Iowa. Maranatha finished last season with a record of 31-2, finishing fourth at the Class A State Tournament. They are led David Hanson, who averaged 16.5 ppg a season ago. Linn-Mar, playing in its second consecutive Gatorade Timberwolves Shootout, took home fourth place in the Iowa Class 4A tournament a season ago. Indiana State recruit Jordan Printy is their top returning starter.

Tickets for all six contests are available for $10 at the Target Center box office on the day of the Shootout. That ticket also includes a free $24 ticket to a future Minnesota Timberwolves game.

Over the history of the Shootout, 15 future NBA players have participated, in addition to over 140 Division I athletes. Shootout director Jeff Munneke can be reached at 612-673-1639.

Gatorade® Thirst Quencher, the nation's leading sports drink, is backed by 40 years of research. Gatorade is scientifically formulated and athletically proven to quench thirst, replace fluids and electrolytes and provide carbohydrate energy to enhance athletic performance. Gatorade is the official sports drink of the NFL, NBA, WNBA, AVP, NHL, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and numerous professional, collegiate and amateur teams and events throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.gatorade.com.

2006 Gatorade-Timberwolves Shootout

10:00 a.m. Minnetonka vs. Leflore HS - Mobile, Alabama

12:00 p.m. Benilde St. Margaret’s vs. Taft HS – Woodland Hills, California

2:00 p.m. Hopkins vs. Campbell Hall HS - Los Angeles, California

4:00 p.m. Osseo vs. Lake Oswego HS - Portland, Oregon

6:00 p.m. Cretin-Derham Hall vs. Westbury Christian HS - Houston, Texas

8:00 p.m. Maranatha Christian Academy vs. Linn Mar HS - Marion, Iowa