Forty-eight hours of continuous high school basketball tips off tonight.

Hall of Fame Basketball Coach Norm Stewart and the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association are hosting the 11th Annual Norm Stewart Classic at Columbia College, November 30-December 2. This year’s Classic is the third year the games will be played for 48 continuous hours.

The Norm Stewart Classic was founded 11 years ago by Gary Filbert with the intention of honoring Coach Norm Stewart by showcasing student athletes in Missouri and by raising money for the American Cancer Society’s Coaches vs. Cancer program, which Stewart began as a pilot program while coaching at the University of Missouri.

Gary Filbert played basketball for the University of Missouri and was a high school and college coach for many years. He also founded the Show-Me State Games in Missouri, which has grown to be the largest State Games in the nation. Filbert lost his battle to cancer in 2011, but has left behind many programs that bear his devotion to student athletes.

“Continuing one of the many outstanding events that my former Missouri teammate and former assistant coach at Missouri Gary Filbert started is an honor. While this event celebrates fine young male and female high school athletes, it is just as much about celebrating the life accomplishments of Gary Filbert,” said Coach Stewart.

The Classic is made up of 46 teams, both boys and girls teams, from across Missouri. The boys team from Peoria Quest Charter Academy and the girls team from East St. Louis Senior High, both from Illinois, will also travel to participate in this year’s Classic.

Columbia College’s Southwell Complex will host the 24 games that will be aired nationwide on ESPN3. The games will also be broadcast on regional television stations across Missouri. The Classic starts with the first game at 6 pm Friday, November 30, and will end with the last game starting at 4 pm on Sunday, December 2.

Each game will have one player who will be recognized as the Gary Filbert MVP.

Denny Hunt, Executive Director of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association said, “We are excited to continue the first ever 48 hours of high school basketball in the nation. Gary Filbert would be proud of what we’ve accomplished with this event, and we’re certainly looking forward to showcasing all of the outstanding student athletes.”

Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students, and children under 5 are free. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Here’s a schedule of the games:

Friday, November 30:

6:00 PM Waynesville vs. St. Joseph Academy (Girls)

8:00 PM Incarnate Word Academy vs. Blue Springs (Girls)

10:00 PM Columbia Rock Bridge vs. Hazelwood Central (Girls)

Saturday, December 1:

12:00 AM Columbia Battle vs. Harrisburg (Girls)

2:00 AM Harrisburg vs. South Callaway (Boys)

4:00 AM Springfield Catholic vs. Springfield Glendale (Girls)

6:00 AM Wentzville Liberty vs. Peoria (IL) Quest Charter Academy (Boys)

8:00 AM Kirkwood vs. Oak Grove (Boys)

10:00 AM Jefferson City vs. East St. Louis (IL) Senior High (Girls)

12:00 PM Poplar Bluff vs. Liberty North (Boys)

2:00 PM Father Tolton vs. Hartville (Girls)

4:00 PM Columbia Hickman vs. Oak Park (Boys)

6:00 PM Mexico vs. Confluence (Boys)

8:00 PM Mexico vs. Mid Buchanan (Girls)

10:00 PM Columbia Battle vs. Mid Buchanan (Boys)

Sunday, December 2:

12:00 AM Moberly vs. Warrensburg (Boys)

2:00 AM Community R-6 vs. Herculaneum (Girls)

4:00 AM Centralia vs. Grandview Hillsboro (Boys)

6:00 AM St. Elizabeth vs. Ellington (Boys)

8:00 AM Otterville vs. Lincoln (Girls)

10:00 AM Otterville vs. Lincoln (Boys)

12:00 PM Jamestown vs. Community R-6 (Boys)

2:00 PM Columbia Hickman vs. Moberly (Girls)

4:00 PM Columbia Rock Bridge vs. Raytown South (Boys)