WASHINGTON D.C. (WUSA) – For the seventh year in a row, the National Title IX Holiday Invitational Conference & Classic has busied the DC Armoury for the past three days. Designed in celebration of the Title IX amendment’s push for gender equality within American schools, the girls’ basketball event both exposes athletes to squads they would not typically have the opportunity to play and provides an arena in which coaches and scouts can watch for scholarship potential.
The event began two days ago with 1,200 players, 64 teams and eight states, plus Canada, represented. But now, it’s down to two teams.
Scouts are bound to watch some fine talent on display tonight in those remaining squads, as the local, undefeated Forestville Knights take on the country’s No. 1 in St. Mary’s Stockton of California. The nationally-unranked team faced a set of tough tasks to reach the final game of the tournament, knocking off Max Preps’ No. 7 Konaweana of Hawaii 60-54 and No. 5 St. Francis of Georgia.
Forestville is led by a strong backcourt of sophomore Taleah Washington, senior Kiara Smith, and guard Marche Sisco.