Grand Island Senior High basketball coach Jeremiah Slough learned today that the Islanders will become the first Nebraska prep basketball team to play in a nationally televised game when they take on Vashon (MO) at the Norm Stewart Classic on December 10th in Columbia, MO.

The game will be part of a 48-hour event that begins on Thursday night December 9th at Mizzou Arena on the campus of the University of Missouri. Most teams — like Grand Island Senior High — will play two games. The Islanders other opponent could be announced soon.

“We are really excited for our kids and our program,” Slough said. “We feel like this will be a great experience for our guys and for the entire Grand Island community.”

It’s been a bit of a whirlwind to see who the Islanders might play. They announced a Friday evening game in September against Chaminade (MO) — a team they were schedule to play last year, but had the game cancelled because of Covid. Now, Chaminade will not be able to play Friday afternoon because of school finals.

In steps Vashon, an elite program from the St. Louis area that was the 2021 Missouri state champions and has won 15 state titles since 1971. They are led by juniors Cameron Stovall and Kennard Davis.

“We know they will be a strong and athletic team,” Slough said. “They will be extremely aggressive and play in a system that has produced multiple titles under just two coaches since the 1970s. They want to speed you up as much as possible.”

GISH, which finished 12-11 last year, features Virginia pledge Isaac Traudt. The 6-9 senior committed to the Hoos in late August. He is ranked 45th in the ESPN 100 for players in the Class of 2022.

The unique event will begin on Thursday, December 9th and games will not stop, running for 48 hours straight with a tip every two hours.