January 14, 2023

By Fred Liggett
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The time has come during the winter sports season to pause the regular season games thanks to a weeklong tournament. Lee’s Summit High School will serve as host of the 48th Annual Summit Grill Shootout. The eight team tourney is well known throughout the area as a week to see some of the best players in the metro area compete for a championship.

This year’s event will keep the same format of four games being played on three different days, Monday, Jan. 16, Wednesday, Jan. 18 and ending on Friday, Jan. 20. Besides host Lee’s Summit, area fans can show support for LS West and both Raytown and Raytown South. Also appearing in the event is Columbia Rock Bridge, Ruskin, Kaufman Charter and Park Hill.

Lee’s Summit Tigers Head Coach Blake Little says it’s “a really strong field.” Coach Little adds “Lee’s Summit West and Park Hill are in a tier of high quality teams in our area.” Little feels “Raytown is always good, features a sophomore point guard,” which covers the four top seeds in the event.

The Tigers regular season finds the team playing Park Hill and LS West the week before they play host to both teams in the Shootout. Coach Little states “just how it played out, how the schedule fell this year.”

The host Tigers tip off the tournament on Monday with a 4 p.m. game against Raytown. The first game will be followed by Columbia Rock Bridge and Ruskin at 5:30 p.m. More opening round action will follow at 7 p.m. with Park Hill against Raytown South then ending with top seed LS West playing Kauffman Charter. Semi-final round games set for Wednesday, Jan 18 at 7 and at 8:30 p.m. approximately. Final round games are for Friday, Jan. 20 with the title game being played last at approximately 8:30 p.m. Look for Summit Grill Shootout updates throughout the week online at Lee’s Summit Tribune Facebook page.