PHOENIX, Ariz. – The St. Francis basketball team will open the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix against Centennial (Nev.) at 11:20 a.m. on Thursday, Dec 18 at the Kroc Center. It is the first of four games during the five-day trip.

“We want to use it as a learning experience to play four worthy opponents that we would not normally face in this area,” said Head Coach Vic Pitton. “It is a great character builder for girls.”

The Troubadours (6-0) are appearing in the Nike Tournament of Champions for the ninth time in school history. They are in Gray Division Bracket with Huntington Beach (Calif.), Basha (Ariz.), Lutheran (Colo.), St. Patrick (Canada), Piedmont (Calif.), Coronado, (Nev.), Tolleson (Ariz.), Morgan (Utah), Warren (Calif.), Corona del Sol (Ariz.), Centennial (Nev.), Indio (Calif.), Castle View (Colo.), Perry (Ariz.) and Clovis West (Calif.).

“We want to be successful but success is not always measured by wins and losses,” said Pitton. “This trip is measured by how much we are able to grow. We want to be better a week from now.”

The Nike Tournament of Champions is the third tournament of the season for St. Francis, who won the Viking Classic in Chico on Dec. 6 and won a pair of games in the Claude Brock Memorial last weekend.

“It is the best start we have had in my three years,” said senior guard Susie Rogers. “The games are fun because they are so tight and close. We have a great chance to grow as a team. We get to see how good we are against really good teams from across the country.”

St. Francis is ranked No. 13 in the first MaxPreps California State Rankings.

The winner of the St. Francis-Centennial winner will play the Warren (Calif.) and Corona del Sol (Ariz.) winner on Friday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. at Kroc. The loser’s will meet at 3:20 p.m.

Established in 1997, the Nike Tournament of Champions has hosted nearly 20,000 athletes from 41 States and every Canadian province; it has produced 144 State Champions and 13 of the past 16 consensus National Champions. Throughout its history, the event has showcased literally hundreds of high school All-Americans and future collegiate and professional stars; its alumni include 8 Olympians and more than two dozen WNBA athletes, including five #1 draft picks.

Follow #TroubieTakeover for updates from the trip.