The Allstate Sugar Bowl has a rich history with the sport of basketball, as well as football. Dating back as far as 1936, the Sugar Bowl has sponsored basketball events in conjunction with the annual football classic. In addition, the Bowl has been a sponsor for multiple local events in the sport. In 2008, the Sugar Bowl Committee partnered with other local organizations to put together a successful bid to host the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, officially hosted by Tulane University. The Bowl also worked with Tulane and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation to host the 2013 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four, a role it was scheduled to reprise for the 2020 NCAA Women’s Final Four, which was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic

The 13th edition of the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Basketball Classic, an event featuring multiple brackets for both boys’ and girls’ high school basketball players, was played January 6-8, 2024, at the Alario Center. In its first 13 years, the tournament featured teams from Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The tournament is currently on hiatus for 2025.

In 2024, the Boys’ National Bracket featured seven out-of-state teams matched up against nine New Orleans-area schools. Trinity High School from Kentucky held off Peabody High School from Alexandria, La., 48-45, in an overtime thriller to earn the championship.

Tournament Website

The 16-team Girls Platinum Bracket also closed with an overtime thriller as Lafayette Christian topped John Curtis, 68-66. Jada Richard, who had 35 second-half points as LCA (18-0) overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat Wossman 60-57 in the semifinals earlier in the day, finished with 37 against the Patriots and was named MVP.

In the eight-team Boys State Bracket, Rummel junior Tim Duhe scored his team’s first 12 points in the second half and senior Denim Smith scored the basket that put the Raiders ahead for good as they defeated Country Day 49-45, to win the championship. In the eight-team Girls Gold Bracket Championship, Mandeville ended the game on a 16-4 run, earning a 66-54 victory. Alanna Benoit posted a double-double (20 points, 11 rebounds, five assists), while Hannah Benoit added 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

2024: Kentucky and Louisiana Schools Take Top Titles at Allstate Sugar Bowl Hoops Tourney
2023: Out-of-State Powers Earn Top Honors at National Prep Classic
2022: Georgia’s Newton High Wins National Bracket at National Prep Classic
2021: Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2020: Louisiana Schools Rise to Titles at Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic
2019: New York and Pennsylvania Schools Capture Titles at Allstate Sugar Bowl Event
2018: Riverside Boys and Curtis Girls Capture Top Titles at Allstate Sugar Bowl Tourney
2017: Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic Crowns Three New Champions
2016: Riverside Earns Third Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic Title
2015: Montverde and Salmen Win Titles at Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic
2014: Riverside Defends Title At Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic
2013: Riverside Academy Becomes First Louisiana School to Win National Prep Classic
2012: Oklahoma City’s Douglass Wins Second National Prep Classic
2011: Kimball Knights Claim Title at Inaugural National Prep Classic

Allstate Sugar Bowl Primetime Super 60 AAU Basketball Tournament

The Allstate Sugar Bowl sponsored the Super 60 AAU Basketball Tournament for the 11th year over Memorial Day weekend in New Orleans in 2024 (May 25 & 26). The 2024 event featured 78 boys teams, including many of the top-rated AAU teams in the country, from third-grade to 11th-grade. The tournament featured young athletes from nine different states and drew hundreds of visitors to the city, in addition to the participants.

Official Tournament Website

The Super 60 tourney has welcomed a handful of celebrity coaches including former NBA standout Kendrick Perkins, former NBA star and current University of Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway, and former NBA player and playground legend Rafer “Skip To My Lou” Alston have coached teams, as did former UNO star Ervin Johnson (a 2018 inductee into the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame) and former New Orleans Pelican Darius Miller. Former NBA stars Juwan Howard, Zach Randolph, and the legendary Julius “Dr. J” Erving have attended as fans.
The event has also featured many star players in its history, including current NBA players Marvin Bagley (Washington Wizards), Jared Butler (Washington Wizards), Wendell Carter (Orlando Magic), Collin Sexton (Utah Jazz), Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Jared Vanderbilt (Los Angeles Lakers), P.J. Washington (Dallas Mavericks), Robert Williams (Portland Trail Blazers) and Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks).

2024: Allstate Sugar Bowl Super 60 Tourney Welcomes Elite Youth Basketball Teams
2023: AAU Basketballers Take Over New Orleans for Allstate Sugar Bowl Super 60 Tourney
2022: Super 60 AAU Basketball Tourney Returns
2021: Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2020: Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2019: Top AAU Basketball Players Visit New Orleans
2018: Over 300 AAU Basketball teams Hosted by Allstate Sugar Bowl
2017: Sugar Bowl Welcomes Thousands of Elite Basketball Players to New Orleans
2016: Primetime Super 60 Hoops Tournament Features 390 Teams
2015: Allstate Sugar Bowl Hosts Top AAU Basketball Players
2014: Four Hundred AAU Teams Converge on New Orleans
2013: Sugar Bowl Welcomes Elite Young Athletes to New Orleans for AAU Hoops
2012: Primetime Super 60 Tournament Brings Over 2,000 Youth Players to City

Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic

Rosie Davis (Courtesy of Dillard Athletics)

The Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic featuring the men's and womens' basketball teams from Xavier University of Louisiana and Dillard University was held from 2009-20. In the final year, the Xavier men's basketball team snapped a four-game winning streak by Dillard. The Bleu Devil women posted their third win in the last four years in the 2020 event.

In the men’s game, Dillard was led by 17 points from Tyrell Alcorn, but it was not enough as No. 15 Xavier had a huge game from Rayshawn Mart, who scored 19 points to go with nine rebounds, in the 73-66 decision. In the women’s match-up, Jabria Pounds scored 20 points and Paige Williams added 16 as Dillard snagged a 62-52 victory from Xavier. Pounds also added 11 rebounds four assists and four steals.

The historic rivalry between the two schools began on Jan. 17, 1948 when the men’s basketball teams first clashed on the hardwood. Saturday’s meeting was the 142nd (including a February 15 meeting at Xavier) in history between the Gold Rush and the Blue Devils, with Xavier holding an 87-55 advantage. The schools first met in women’s basketball action during the 1977-78 season. The Gold Nuggets and Lady Blue Devils have played 95 times with Xavier on top 71-24 in the all-time series (entering 2019-20).

Three players in the XU-DU men’s series reached the NBA. Xavier’s Donald “Slick” Watts played six seasons with three NBA teams from 1973-79. Watts was the first player to lead the NBA in assists and steals in the same season (1975-76). Gold Rush teammate Bruce Seals played three NBA seasons (1975-78) after two seasons in the ABA. Dillard’s George Johnson played 13 seasons with six NBA teams from 1972-86 and ranks 13th in the NBA with 2,082 career blocked shots. Johnson was a member of the Golden State Warriors’ 1975 NBA championship team, and Seals played in the NBA Finals in 1978 with the Seattle SuperSonics.

2021: Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2020: Dillard and Xavier Split Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic Again
2019: Dillard Splits Allstate Sugar Bowl Blue Devil Classic with Xavier
2018: Dillard Sweeps Xavier Again at Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic
2017: Home Team Sweeps 2017 Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic
2016: Dillard Men Upend Xavier in Overtime of Annual Bleu Devil Classic
2015: Dillard Splits Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic Games
2014: Annual Bleu Devil Classic Once Again Features Two Xavier Wins
2013: Xavier Takes Two in Annual Bleu Devil Classic
2012: Xavier Comes Out On Top Again in Bleu Devil Classic
2011: Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush Victorious in City Series
2010: Xavier Sweeps Allstate Sugar Bowl Crosstown Classic
2009: Xavier Tops Dillard in Allstate Sugar Bowl Crosstown Classic

NCAA Basketball

The Allstate Sugar Bowl was a key part of the process for the successful bid by the city of New Orleans to host the 2020 NCAA Women’s Final Four. That would have been the fourth NCAA Women’s Final Four hosted by New Orleans and the Sugar Bowl was scheduled to play a significant role in the hosting process as a member of the Local Organizing Committee. However, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four was the fifth played in New Orleans. Freshman Anthony Davis led Kentucky to the national title just months before being selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The city’s previous four Final Fours have also been memorable. In 1982, Dean Smith captured his first National Championship as a freshman named Michael Jordan buried the game-winning shot to upend Georgetown. In 1987, it was Bobby Knight and Indiana defeating Syracuse on a baseline jumper by Keith Smart. Smith was back again in 1993, as his North Carolina team defeated the Fab Five from Michigan. And in 2003, Jim Boeheim made up for his 1987 loss as freshman Carmelo Anthony led Syracuse to a win over Kansas.

The 2013 NCAA Women’s Final Four was the third hosted by New Orleans, the most of any city. The University of Connecticut took the title with a 93-60 victory over Louisville. The win gave UConn and head coach Geno Auriemma eight national championships, matching the record held by Tennessee. UConn was led by freshman Breanna Stewart, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Stewart scored 23 points with nine rebounds and three assists to follow-up a magnificent 29-point effort in the victory over Notre Dame. She is the first freshman since 1987 to win Most Outstanding Player honors at the Women’s Final Four.

In addition to earning the right to host the Men’s Final Four, the Bowl was also part of the host committee for 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Round action and the 2011 NCAA Men’s Southeast Regional Championship at the New Orleans Arena.

2020: Cancelled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
2013: UConn Collects Eighth Title at 2013 NCAA Women’s Final Four
2012: Kentucky Wins NCAA Basketball Crown in New Orleans
2011: Butler Captures Title at NCAA Men’s Basketball Southeast Regional
New Orleans Men’s Final Four Logo for 2012 Unveiled
NCAA Announces that New Orleans Will Host 2012 Final Four

Allstate Sugar Bowl CYO Tournament

An annual New Orleans CYO High School Basketball Tournament was played for 65 years with the Allstate Sugar Bowl serving as the title sponsor from 2008-19. However, the archdiocese opted to discontinue the tournament in 2020 after 65 years of action.

UNO Basketball

The Allstate Sugar Bowl served as a sponsor for UNO Basketball’s Homecoming and/or Alumni games from 2014-15 through 2019-20