Top Holiday Tournaments to Watch

Top Holiday Tournaments to Watch

Pontiac Holiday “A Place to be” – December 28, 29, 30, 2015

This will be the #1 Tournament to Watch

Notable Players on the Scene:  Simeon’s Zach Norvell, Evan Gilyard, Josh Thomas, Ben Coupet, Talen Horton-Tucker, Messiah Jones, Charles Payton (Bloomington), Devin Gage (Curie), Elijah Joiner (Curie), Landers Nolley (Curie), Kendle Moore (Danville), Daylan Williams (Danville), Trevian Bell (Joliet West), Elijah Ward (Joliet West), Teyvion Kirk (Joliet West), Tabyous Casterberry (Joliet West), Evan Hines (Niles West), Octavius Parker (Niles West), Breshawn Wilkerson (Oak-Park), Cameron Gross (Oak-Park), Connor Fuller (Oak-Park), Deandre Enoch (Oak-Park), Da’Monte Williams (Peoria Manual), Romon Douglas (Manual), A.J. Youngman (Manual), Kevin Kreiger (Plainfield North), Jayson Dorsey (Warren), Camron Donatian (West Aurora).

1^st Round Pairings:

Danville vs Lockport 9:00 am

Curie vs St. Charles North 10:30 am

Bloomington vs Bloom Twp 1:00 pm

Simeon vs West Aurora 2:30 pm

Oak-Pk-River Forest vs Niles West 4:00 pm

Manuel vs Warren 6:00 pm

Benet Academy vs Warren 7:30 pm

Joliet West vs Plainfield North 9:00 pm

Proviso West Holiday Tournament – December 26, 28, 29 and 30^th

Notable Players to Watch:  Mike Smith (Fenwick), Jamal Nixon (Fenwick), Jacob Keller (Fenwick), Charlie Boyle (Fenwick), Nick Rakocevic (St. Joes), Joffari Brwon (St. Joes), Lavon Thomas (St. Joes), Marcus Garrett (Hilcrest), James Jones (Bogan), Bryce Barnes (Bogan), Tyler Chisom (Proviso East), Emanuel Cross (Proviso West), Charlie Moore (MP), Jamal Burton (MP), Jarrin Randle (MP), Ayo Dosunmu (MP), Raphael Cruz (Von), Christian Negron (Larkin), Damarius Jacobs (Uplift), Xavier Castaneda (Young), Lucas Williamson (Young), Jake Kosakowski (Young).

1^st Round Pairings:

Hillcrest vs Elgin-Larkin 9:30 am

St. Joseph vs Dunbar 11:00 am

Morgan Park vs Providence St. Mel 12:30 pm

Proviso East vs Uplift 2:00 pm

Fenwick vs Von Steuben 4:00 pm

Whitney Young vs Morton 5:30 pm

Proviso West vs Bogan 7:00 pm

New Trier vs Cathedral Catholic 8:30 pm

State Farm Holiday Classic – December 28^th-31^st

Notable Players to Watch:  Carlos Hines (North-Lawndale), Tyrone Rhivers (North-Lawndale), Isaac Nelson (Springfield), Keon Day (Springfield), Drew Evans (Thornwood), Marcus Hussey (Thornwood), Jason Jones (Rock-Island), William Miles (Rock-Island), Simeon Hinton (North-Chgo), Oliver Stevens (Edwardsville), Dexter Oyewo (Plainfield So.).

1^st Round Pairings – Dec. 28^th (Shirk Center-IL)

Chicago North-Lawndale vs Springfield High 6:00 pm

Thornwood vs Normal Community 9:00 pm

Rockton Hononegah vs Normal U-High 4:30 pm

Peoria Notre Dame vs Wheaton W’ville South 7:30 pm

Rock-Island vs Chatham Glenwood 1:00 pm

Champaign Centennial vs North-Chicago 2:30 pm

Zion-Benton vs Plainfield South 11:30 am

Edwardsville vs Mahomet-Seymour 10:00 am

Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic – December 26, 28, 29, 30

Notable Players to Watch:  Cameron Bowles (H.F.), Kendric Pryor (H.F.), Jeffrey Boyd (H.F.), Tayvon Tyler (Auburn), Jaylon Catledge (Richards), Marquan “Bay-Bay” Williams (Perspective MSA), Justin Smith (Stevenson), Rodney A Willie Herenton (Stevenson), Dwayne Rose (Crete), Coreyoun Rushin (W’House), Ibrahim Dosunmu (Lincoln Pk), Marco Lewis (Lincoln Pk), Peter Blust (Hinsdale Central).

1^st Round Pairings

Richards vs Chicago Hope 9:30 am

Stevenson vs Foreman 11:00 am

Homewood-Flossmoor vs Lincoln Park 12:30 pm

Rockford Auburn vs Westinghouse 2:00 pm

St. Charles East vs DePaul Prep 3:45 pm

Maine South vs Urban Prep Englewood 5:15 pm

Hinsdale Central vs Crete Monee 7:00 pm

Crespi Carmelite vs Perspectives MSA 8:30 pm

73^rd Annual Centralia Holiday Tournament – December 28^th-30^th

Notable Players to Watch:  Nick Finke (Champaign Central), Tim Finke (Central), Bailey Dee (Central), Kamron Reaves (Central), Calogeno Dawson (Central), Marcus Latham (Alton), Maurice Edwards (Alton), Kevin Caldwell (Alton), Brandon McCombs (Jacksonville), D’Aaron Owens (Centralia), Tyler Dancy (Belleville West), Damarcus Gilmore (Harlan), Ramar Evans (Loyola), Chance Armstrong (O’Fallon), EJ Liddell (Belleville West).

1^st Round Pairings

Alton vs Memphis Raleigh 9:00 am

Arlington, TN vs Cahokia 10:30 am

Christian County, KY vs Belleville West 3:30 pm

Champaign Central vs Addison Trail 6:15 pm

O’Fallon vs Chicago Marist 9:15 pm

Salem vs Germantown, TN 12:30 pm

Jacksonville vs Mount Vernon 3:00 pm

Centralia vs Chicago Sullivan 7:45 pm

Big Dipper Holiday Tournament – December 26, 28, 29 & 30^th

Notable Players to Watch:  Nana Akenten (Bolingbrook), Zach Grady (Bolingbrook), Brandon Lawani (Bolingbrook), Devon Sams (Bolingbrook), T.J. Smith (Marian Catholic), Austin Richie (Marian Catholic), TeeAaron Powell (Marian Catholic), Brandon Hurt (Marian Catholic), Myles Howard (Marian Catholic), Karim Sameh (Hales), Darias Oliver (Leo).

1^st Round Pairings

Bolingbrook vs Butler College Prep 9:00 am

Hales Franciscan vs Lincoln-Way Central 10:30 am

Rich East vs Leo 12:00 pm

Thornton vs Perspectives Calumet 1:30 pm

Joliet Central vs King 4:00 pm

Rich South vs University High 5:30 pm

Rich Central vs Marquette Catholic 7:00 pm

Marian Catholic vs Tinley Park 8:30 pm

Pekin Holiday Tournament – 51^st Annual – December 28^th-30^th

Notable Players to Watch:  Xavier Bishop (Lanphier), Cardell McGee (Lanphier), Aundrae Williams (Lanphier), Yaakeema Rose (Lanphier), Deshawn Bishop (Peoria), Jake Rhode (Mount-Carmel), Christian Peavy (Mount-Carmel), Nick Chambers (Mount-Carmel), Damon Gillespie (Richwood), Kaeien Johnson (Richwoods), Bryce Vollrath (Richwoods), Elyjah Goss (Plainfield East), Jalyn Adams (Plainfield East), Vinny Tarello (Plainfield East), Nick Meyer (Lake Zurich), Joe Lavin (Lake Zurich), Devin Whitelow (Washington), Lou Griffith (Washington), Jake Meeske (United Township), Bryant Jefferson (United Township), Anferney Burns (Peoria Central).

1^st Round Pairings

Richwoods vs Moline 9:00 am

UTHS vs Limestone 10:30 am

Lake Zurich vs Freeport 12:45 pm

Mount-Carmel vs Morton 2:15 pm

Lanphier vs Plainfield East 3:45 pm

Pekin vs Hersey 6:30 pm

Washington vs Peoria High 8:00 pm

Boylan vs Normal West 9:30 pm

Collinsville 32^nd Annual Holiday Classic – December 28^th-30^th

Notable Players to Watch:  Jordan Goodwin (Althoff), Tarkus Ferguson (Althoff), Brandon Gooch (Althoff), Marvin Bateman (Althoff), Edwyn Brown (Althoff), Javon Pickett (Belleville East), Rico Sylvester (Belleville East), Marquise Chairs (East St. Louis), Antonio Johnson (East St. Louis), Patrick Baxter (East St. Louis), Kenny Berry (Granite City), Isaiah Bowers (Lincoln), Keymonta Johnson (MacArthur), Dallas McClain (MacArthur), Amir Brummett (MacArthur), Parker Bland (Quincy), D’Angelo Hughes (Springfield S.E.), Mark Johnson (Springfield S.E.), Trevyon Williams (Springfield S.E.).

1^st Round Pairings

Springfield Southeast vs McCluer North 9:00 am

Dec. MacArthur vs Belleville East 10:30 am

East St. Louis vs Riverview Gardens 1:00 pm

Lincoln vs Fort Zumwalt North 2:30 pm

Quincy vs Dec. Eisenhower 4:00 pm

Collinsville vs Oakville (MO) 6:30 pm

Althoff vs Urbana 8:00 pm

Granite City vs Hazelwood East 9:30 pm

On the Trail

Holy Cross and Ivy League schools probably should take some notice of six foot seven junior Mark Taylor arguably one of the top players in the independent school division.  Taylor has an excellent frame, he is a quick leaper, which allows him to be an effective shot-blocker, perimeter skills are noticeable, he possess a nice stoke.  Taylor averages 21 points & 15 rebounds thus far.  Next season he could become a dominant force in the private school arena.

How My Top 20 Fared

1. Morgan Park (3-1) – Tumbled Simeon 70-65 on-the-road behind a 24 point outing for Charlie Moore; they face another serious challenge at Bogan on Thursday.
2. Simeon (2-1) – Dropped a home game to MP; still searching for cohesiveness after adding several transfers, in addition to blending in youngsters.
3. Fenwick (7-0) – Friars arguably have one of the best coaches in the game and one of the better point-guards in the area with Mike Smith; their system just flows.
4. Riverside-Brookfield (6-1) – Lost to an out-of-town opponent in the Chicagoland Classic; they are a dangerous team; four guys who can score.
5. St. Joseph (8-0) – Ping has his troops marching particularly behind the trio of Nick Rakocevic/Joffari Brown/Lavon Thomas; they have created a winning formula.
6. Curie (4-0) – Has a date with Hyde Park on Thurs; there are several teams that may pose a challenge for the Condors at Pontiac.
7. Bogan (5-1) – The Bengals will be tested at home versus rival Morgan Park on Thurs.
8. Evanston (6-1) – They have started to click offensively; New Trier shouldn’t pose any threat on Wed.
9. Notre Dame (7-1) – The North-Suburban Dons squeaked by Lincoln Park a week ago; Ammar Becar has started to contribute his end of the bargain.
10. Glenbard West (7-0) – William & Mary recruit Justin Pierce has been on a tear offensively; his supporting cast isn’t so shabby after all.
11. Marian Catholic (6-2) – A talented young core cruised by St. Rita 43-33 Fri night; Benet will visit the Chicago Heights school on Friday.
12. Whitney Young (2-1) – The locals have placed some high expectations on sophomore wiz Xavier Castaneda; the masses await for him at the Proviso West bash.
13. Kenwood (3-1) – Slipped by Hyde Park last week; an unproven group still trying to find their way; Nick Robinson & Manny Patterson need to be double digit scorers nightly.
14. Hyde Park (6-2) – Let one get away at home versus Kenwood due to shaky ball-handling; they are plagued by numerous miscues.  “Brandon Daugherty is a gamer.”
15. Benet (7-0) – Their hot start makes the Pontiac field even stronger; Simeon could be waiting though; no one will be surprised if they out-last Marion Catholic on Fri.
16. Farragut (7-2) – Observers were startled that the Admirals dropped a home game to Whitney Young; this could be a topsy-turvy year in the red-west.
17. Vocational (6-1) – Bogan just dismantled them in a conference game last week; Cavaliers have to clean-up the un-forced turn-overs & bad shot selections.
18. De La Salle (5-1) – Only loss was to St. Joes on the road; I like their nucleus, senior Andre Raiford and Christian Hayes can play.
19. Hinsdale South (6-1) – Northwestern recruit Barret Benson has really elevated his play at both ends, his future is so bright on & off the floor.
20. Thornton (4-1) – We expect the Wildcats coach Tai Streets to win big games in which he demonstrated Friday night knocking off a solid Bradley-Bourbonnais club; he had his squad ready.