ATLAS, the New International High School Basketball League, Opens at IMG Academy: IMG vs. SPIRE Thursday, 11 Teams From Six Countries

ATLAS, the New International High School Basketball League, Opens at IMG Academy: IMG vs. SPIRE Thursday, 11 Teams From Six Countries

ATLAS tipped off Wednesday in Bradenton, Florida, with 11 prep and academy teams from the U.S., Canada and Europe. IMG plays SPIRE Thursday. ShotTracker runs the stats; Rob Kennedy is commissioner.

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Žalgiris and Mega Basket were scheduled for the first game. That alone tells you ATLAS is not a normal high school event. The new international league for prep and academy basketball opened Wednesday on IMG Academy's campus in Bradenton, Florida, and its host plays SPIRE Academy on Thursday at 7 p.m.

ATLAS is run by WorldStage Sports. Its 11 founding teams come from six countries, according to the league's official site and Buying Sandlot: IMG Academy, DME Academy and Prolific Prep from Florida, SPIRE from Ohio, Sunrise Christian from Kansas, Orangeville Prep from Ontario, Orange1 Bassano and Pallacanestro Varese from Italy, OrangeAcademy Ulm from Germany, Mega Basket from Serbia and Žalgiris from Lithuania.

ATLAS Opening Weekend Schedule at IMG Academy

Twelve games run Wednesday through Friday. Thursday's slate: Orangeville Prep vs. Varese at 1 p.m., Sunrise Christian vs. Žalgiris at 3, Orange1 Bassano vs. Prolific Prep at 5 and IMG vs. SPIRE at 7. Friday closes with Prolific Prep vs. Žalgiris at 4 and IMG vs. Ulm at 6, all Eastern. SPIRE coach Kevin Boyle is the league's chief basketball officer.

Rob Kennedy Takes Over as ATLAS Commissioner

The league changed commissioners before its first tip. Hoop Group president and ESPN college basketball analyst Rob Kennedy now holds the job, Buying Sandlot reported, after original commissioner Mike Morreale became team president of the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks. Morreale stays on as an adviser.

ATLAS also named ShotTracker its official technology partner in a multiyear deal announced Tuesday, according to Seventy Six Capital. ShotTracker will be the exclusive provider of official stats, analytics and video, with live data on tablets at the bench. Games stream on the league's YouTube channel and on HomeTeam Network.

Kaunas, Phoenix and a Toronto Championship

After Bradenton, the full league meets in Kaunas, Lithuania, Jan. 4 to 7 and in Phoenix Feb. 18 to 20, with the championship in Toronto March 4 to 7, per Buying Sandlot's launch report. Find more youth and prep events on the BallerTube events page.