Don DeLeo is a big Duke basketball fan who grew up watching the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, so the Hightstown boys basketball coach had an idea. What about a CVC-Shore Challenge? It’s finally happening as Hightstown High is set to host the inaugural event Saturday and Sunday with 10 boys games and one girls game featuring the Colonial Valley Conference and the Shore Conference. “It’s always been a dream of mine to host a showcase at our school,” said DeLeo, the sixth-year Rams coach. “My AD, Matt Belford, finally saw our vision and allowed us to do it.” The event’s sheer volume is unique in that unlike most other high school showcases and holiday tournaments, there will be seven games running continuously in one gym Saturday, starting with West Windsor-Plainsboro South vs. Middletown South at 10 a.m. and ending with Hopewell Valley vs. Freehold Boro at 7 p.m. “We’re very excited to have that opportunity to play in the event,” Hopewell coach Matt Stein said. “Another opportunity for us to play a top team in our group, but that’s something special that we haven’t had. I know there’s a lot of showcases, but to have all these different CVC teams … it gives us a chance to highlight what we have here in our conference, to play against tough competition down at the shore.” There will then be four games Sunday, beginning with Hamilton West vs. Howell at 11:30 a.m. and culminating with the Hightstown boys against Middletown North at 4 p.m. The Hightstown girls will play in one of the Saturday games at 11:30 a.m. vs. Middletown North. DeLeo wanted all 15 CVC schools in the event, but the logistical challenge this year was that the conference realigned the divisions so that the best teams are in the Colonial and the lesser teams in the Valley. Teams are no longer required to play every team in the other division and are free to schedule more non-conference opponents. “I think the issue was when they changed the divisions and you didn’t have to play people, people went out and got games and they just couldn’t fit it in their schedule,” DeLeo said. “We invited everyone. We went over it at our coaches’ meeting that we’re going to have everyone next year, and we’re gonna try to have a girls location next year and really blow this up.” Hopewell Valley’s Jude Berman, front, spins around the defense of Ewing’s Kristian Thomas, back, during a CVC Colonial Division boys basketball game on Tuesday night in Hopewell Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) For the other part of the equation, DeLeo sought to bring in the top Shore teams that were available this weekend and then evenly match teams up based on quality. For example, in one game you have Hopewell, one of the top boys teams, taking on the defending Central Jersey Group III champion in Freehold Boro. In another game, Robbinsville will get to have talented 6-foot-5 junior Tyler Bunnell go up against 6-foot-7 Matawan senior Jayden Elijah, a Rutgers football commit. Coach Tim Stevens, whose Notre Dame boys will face Marlboro on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., also sees the event as a chance to scout other teams. “It’s just great because not only do you get to see other teams from our own league, but you get to see other teams from the shore,” Stevens said. “You accept it as a challenge where we want to represent the CVC to the best of our ability, and so does every other CVC team that’s in it. So to have an event locally where we can go and support other CVC teams and give our best crack at good Shore teams, that’s an excellent event to be at.” There has already been a ton of parity among the CVC boys teams this year, with the only undefeated team being WW-P North (2-0). The Knights knocked off Hopewell (1-1) at home Tuesday night, 53-50, on a buzzer-beating shot from beyond halfcourt by senior Malachi Jeffers-Viera. “I believe the CVC has good hoops, and it has good hoops on a state level, so we should always be playing against the better teams,” DeLeo said. Tickets are digital only and may be purchased at my.hometownticketing.com. They cost three dollars for adults (18+) and two dollars for students (grades K-12). The money will go toward Hightstown’s school fund. The goal is to raise enough to donate some of the money to the toy drive at NJ Rise, the town’s local charity. Here is the full CVC-Shore Challenge schedule, with all games taking place at Hightstown High. Team records in parentheses are as of Friday afternoon. Saturday WW-P South boys (1-3) vs. Middletown South (1-2), 10 a.m. Hightstown girls (2-1) vs. Middletown North (0-2), 11:30 a.m. WW-P North boys (2-0) vs. Jackson Memorial (1-2), 1 p.m. Steinert boys (0-3) vs. Manalapan (1-0), 2:30 p.m. Princeton High boys (1-1) vs. Shore Regional (1-0), 4 p.m. Notre Dame boys (3-1) vs. Marlboro (1-2), 5:30 p.m. Hopewell Valley boys (1-1) vs. Freehold Boro (2-1), 7 p.m. Sunday Hamilton West boys (0-3) vs. Howell (0-1), 11:30 a.m. Robbinsville boys (2-1) vs. Matawan (0-1), 1 p.m. Ewing boys (1-1) vs. College Achieve Regional (2-1), 2:30 p.m. Hightstown boys (2-1) vs. Middletown North (1-1), 4 p.m.