GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — National high school boys basketball power Oak Hill Academy is coming to Nebraska in 2013 to play Omaha Central.

Their game will be part of the Feb. 9, 2013, Heartland Hoops Classic in Grand Island.

“It's exciting,” Central coach Eric Behrens said. “Certainly it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me as a coach, and for the kids. Oak Hill is an elite national program that everybody has heard of.”

Oak Hill, a Baptist-affiliated boarding school of about 160 students in Mouth of Wilson, Va., is 35-0 this season and ranked No. 1 by USA Today and ESPN.com. In the MaxPreps Freeman computer rankings, Oak Hill is No. 1 and Central is No. 2.

The Warriors, coached by Steve Smith, have produced 28 McDonald's All-American players and, since 2000, 55 Division I scholarship players.

Hoops Classic organizer Tino Martinez, who owns a sporting goods business in Grand Island, said Oak Hills will have all expenses covered for its first game in Nebraska.

“I don't know if you can be more excited than we are to be able to secure Oak Hill Academy for this event,” Martinez said. “Obviously, Coach Smith runs one of the top high school programs in the nation. To be able to get them here to play one of the best programs in the state is great for our event, the state and the community of Grand Island.”

Central is 22-0 this season and winner of the state title five of the past six years. Martinez said he's tried previously to get the Eagles into his event and is as excited to land the Eagles as he is Oak Hill.

“When Tino called this time,” Behrens said, “I said we needed to play someone nationally good, and he got that lined up.”

While the matchup seems worthy of a cable telecast by the likes of ESPN or Fox Sports, both of which air high school games regularly, Martinez said no deal has been made.

“It might draw some interest, I would think,” he said.

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