For seniors Keith Cotnoir and Aaron Gaj, their seasons just got a whole lot more interesting.

It's that time of the year again as the Spalding Hoophall Classic takes to the floor at Springfield College. And for the first time Granby and Hampshire Regional are a part of the scheduled games.

"We're really excited about that," said Cotnoir, whose Hampshire squad faces Mahar tonight at 8. "We've been looking forward to it all year."

Gaj and his Granby teammates close the five-day event against St. Joseph's Monday at 7.

"I'm really excited for the Hoophall," Gaj said. "I've been going the past three years and to get the chance to play is pretty awesome."

The event has grown so much since it started it 2001 that a fifth day was created this year. Today is the new opening day and four games of in-state boys teams take the floor. Commerce and Sci-Tech start at 4 p.m. and will be followed by Cathedral-Central Catholic, Central-Putnam and Mahar-Hampshire.

"I love Springfield College," Cotnoir said. "I like their gym. It's awesome. It's where basketball was invented. What better place to play?"

Friday features three girls games and two boys games. The Sabis and Central girls open the day at 3, followed by Sabis-New Leadership boys, West Springfield-Cicero North (N.Y.) girls, East Longmeadow-Christ the King (N.Y.) girls, and East Longmeadow-Longmeadow boys at 9.

Saturday picks up with some of the top boys teams in the country on display. After Central and Windsor (Conn.) take the floor at noon, every two hours fans will see St. Patrick (N.J.) and LaVerne Lutheran (Calif.), No. 11 Gonzaga College High School (DC) and Riverside Academy (La.), No. 1 Oak Hill Academy (Va.) and No. 12 Prestonwood Christian (Texas), and Northwest Catholic (Conn.) and No. 3 DeMatha Catholic (Md.).

Cotnoir saw Oak Hill play last year. "It was unreal," he said. "It's hard to imagine those guys are the same age as me."

Sunday's slate starts at 10 a.m. with Our Savior New American (N.Y.) and Mount St. Joseph (Md.), St. Thomas More (Conn.) and Wilbraham Monson Academy, St. Mark's and Friends Central (Pa.), Tilton (N.H.) and Brewster Academy (N.H.), and Notre Dame Prep and New Hampton Prep (N.H.). Joey O'Connell of Hatfield will suit up for Wilbraham Monson.

Monday closes with No. 4 St. Anthony (N.J.) and Miller Grove (Ga.) at 11 a.m., DeMatha and Bishop Gorman (N.Y.), No. 2 Chicago Simeon and No. 8 Findlay College Prep (Nev.), Christ the King and No. 21 Mater Dei (Calif.), and Granby and St. Joe's.

"We've been talking about it a little bit at a time," Granby coach Tim Sheehan said. "We're excited. It's a great opportunity and a great showcase."

The Granby-St. Joe matchup is also a possible tournament preview as both teams are among the best in Division 3.

"This will give us a good idea of what the playoffs will be like," Gaj said. "They're always (seeded) up there and it's nice to finally play them. Hopefully we'll do good."

Sheehan hopes the atmosphere doesn't distract his players.

"We've got some good young players and I think when we get there we'll be excited, I hope not overly excited," he said. "They're a tough team."

The venue at Springfield College is unlike what a local high school player will see during the regular season. While it compares to the Curry Hicks Cage, site of the section semifinals and finals, the Springfield College gym is bigger.

"Realistically, you try to understand that it is the same size court as the one here (at Hampshire), maybe a little bigger, but the baskets are the same size," Hampshire coach Claud Salomao said. "It's a matter of focusing and going out there and there performing."

MILESTONE WATCH - Nate Powers of Holyoke Catholic is 54 points away from 1,000 in his career. The senior averages 24.9 points per game. The Gaels are at Gateway Regional at 7 Friday and home against South Hadley at 7:30 on Wednesday.

Mat Sulda of Smith Academy is 149 points shy of 1,000. Casey White of Easthampton is 223 points shy of a grand.

On the girls side, Alyssa Klepacki of Smith Academy has 895 career points.

JOHNSON-FINN HONORED - Southampton native Shannon Johnson-Finn, a sophomore girls soccer goalkeeper at Lawrence Academy, earned all-league honors from the Independent School League and named to the all-state team this season.

The Spartans went 8-6-2 overall and placed second in the NEPSCAC tournament, which Johnson-Finn missed due to injury.

COACHING OPENINGS - Northampton is accepting applications for boys varsity and junior varsity lacrosse and boys varsity and assistant track coaching positions.

Interested applicants can call the Northampton athletic office at 413-587-1344 or contact the City of Northampton Human Resource Department.

GAME OF THE WEEK - Amherst Regional girls basketball at Northampton, tonight, 7 p.m.

The Hurricanes (6-1) open a brutal three-game stretch with their Battle of the Bridge rival Blue Devils (6-2). Amherst defeated Northampton twice last year, including once in the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament quarterfinals by a score of 47-40. Both teams returned four starters from last year.

The Hurricanes will then host undefeated West Springfield (7-0) on Tuesday before heading to undefeated Holyoke (9-0) on Friday, Jan. 20. Both West Side and Holyoke reached the WMass D-1 semifinals last year. Holyoke was ranked No. 1 in last week's WMass Girls Basketball Media Poll, while West Side was tied for second with Lee. Amherst was No. 4 and Northampton No. 6.

Staff writer Jim Pignatiello contributed to this report. Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com.