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YEATESVILLE, N.C. — Northside High School’s varsity boys will have a busy and different basketball schedule in the coming weeks.

Panthers head boys coach and Athletic Director Jared Adams confirmed Friday that the Panthers will play in the Virginia Hoopfest Showcase Series on Dec. 28. Northside will square off with Norfolk Collegiate at 5:45 p.m. at Franklin High School in Franklin, Va. It’s one of four games that will be played that day at the school.

Northside has also added Lawrence Academy to its schedule. The Panthers will host the Warriors on Dec. 30, which was when the Washington game was originally scheduled. Northside’s boys and girls will play the Warriors starting with the girls at 6 p.m.

“Yeah, basketball’s a tough season because you’ve got Thanksgiving break, then you’ve got exams that set you back a little bit. Then you’ve got Christmas break,” Adams said. I mean, you’ve got a lot of adversity you’re playing through. So you always have to start, stop, start, stop, and try to keep rhythm.

“Hopefully, we carry that over Christmas break. We’re excited to take part in the showcase.”

Since the showcase is a one-day event, Adams said his team will leave that day and travel back after their game. Franklin High School is in Franklin, Va., a little more than a two-hour drive just southwest of Suffolk.

“We’re pretty excited to go play at the showcase in Virginia,” said Northside senior Nick Moore. “I feel like the talent might be a little better than what we’ve been playing. So I feel like that’ll help us get ready for conference.

“And same with Lawrence Academy. They’re kind of somebody that we don’t usually play. So I feel like that’ll help us get ready for conference and playoffs.”

Northside was scheduled to play Washington but the Pam Pack backed out in order to play in the John Wall Invitational on Dec. 26 and 28. That, the cancellation of a game with Cape Hatteras and the loss of the game with Bear Grass in the Northside Basketball Kickoff Tournament on Dec. 6 after a player was injured forced Adams to make some tweaks to the schedule.