The Holiday Tournaments are over. A lot of damage done to some teams records especially in out of state tournaments. There will be a lot of movement in the rankings.
1) Evanston Township(13-0)-Won the Centralia Holiday Tournament beating the hosts in overtime. Junior guard Blake Peters was tournament MVP, while junior guard Jaylin Gibson was first team all tournament, and Isaiah "Itchy" Holden was second team all tournament. They have Niles North coming into Beardsley Gym next Tuesday.
2) Curie(Chicago)(11-0)- Repeated as Pontiac Holiday Tournament Champs with title game win over Bloom(Chicago Heights) for second year in a row. I thought about jumping them to #1, but Evanston has done enough to stay there. Senior wing Ramean Hinton(whom I did a write up on) https://tim1coleman.wixsite.com/website/home/time-to-put-curie-s-ramean-hinton-as-a-serious-mr-basketball-candidate was AC Williamson award winner. They'll be a Mustang Madness in Paducah, Kentucky on Friday then travel to Muskegon, Michigan on Saturday. Once that is done they have #3 Bogan in Chicago Public League Red South/Central action next Tuesday.
3) Bogan(Chicago)(14-1)-Repeated as Proviso West Holiday Tounament champs with win over Morton(Cicero). Senior guard Antoine Bloxton should have won tournament MVP. He had the easiest 33 points I've seen in a long time in the title game. They are at #2 Curie next Tuesday in one of the biggest Chicago Public League regular season games this year.
4) Thornton Township(Harvey)(13-0)- Won the Big Dipper Holiday Tournament once again. This is regular for the Wildcats. They beat Rich Central in the title game Senior guard Demarco Minor was tournament MVP. They just keep on rolling through the competition, at least till they have to go to Bloom(Chicago Heights) for the second go around on January 28th. Kankakee could give them a tough test before that.
5) Notre Dame College Prep(Niles)(14-2)- Won the Wheeling Hardwood Classic over Glenbrook South(Glenview) in the title game. Junior wing Louis Lesmond was tournament MVP and Anthony Sayles came back from his knee injury. Fenwick is looming at home next Tuesday.
6) Bloom(Chicago Heights)(12-2)- Lost to #2 Curie(Chicago) in the title game of the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. Donte Maddox Jr and Christian Shumate are playing at a high level. Something is missing that is hard to put my finger on preventing this team from beating the big boys. This team can still make a huge dominant run in the postseason. A long way to go to get it together.
7) Homewood Flossmoor(11-1)- Won the Hinsdale Central Holiday Tournament by beating DePaul Prep in overtime for the title. This was their fourth try at it and they finally hold up the big hardware. Senior forward RJ Ogom was tournament MVP and continues to play outstanding basketball. Senior guard Josiah Palmer is also balling out and being a three point sniper. Loyola Academy on January 18th is the next huge game on their schedule.
8) Mundelein(13-1)- Runnerup at the Collinsville Holiday Tournament losing to the hosts in a hard fought title game. Junior guards Connor Enright, Trey Baker, and junior forward Scottie Ebube all made all tournament. They have become a big time threat in Class 4A to win a Sectional.
9) Fenwick(Oak Park)(12-2)- Third place at Proviso West as junior wing Bryce Hopkins finished off a 44 point game with a three point buzzer beater to beat Zion Benton. Sophomore point guard Trey Pettigrew will have to get back to his consistent play from the beginning of the season.
10) Loyola Academy(Wilmette)(14-1)- Lost in title game at Gulf Shore Shootout in Naples,FL. They have a tough St Rita team coming in next Tuesday.
11) DePaul Prep(Chicago)(12-2)- Runnerup in the Hinsdale Central Tournament to Homewood Flossmoor in a tough overtime loss. Junior guard Tyler Johnson made all tournmanent and showed he's one of the best guards in the Chicago Area.
12) Whitney Young(Chicago) (6-6)- Tough national schedule should toughen them up for runs to Chicago Public League and Class 4A State titles. Senior DJ Steward continues his consistent play.
13) Marian Catholic(Chicago Heights)(10-3)- Third place at Hinsdale Central Holiday Tournament. Senior guard Ahron Ulis has to step his game up to another level for the rest of the season.
14) Glenbrook South(Glenview)(13-1)- Runnerup at the Wheeling Hardwood Classic to Notre Dame College Prep as senior forward Dom Martinelli was all tournament. They have Peoria Notre Dame on Saturday at Taylorville Shootout. Look out for the two regular season meetings with #1 Evanston on January 31st at home in the Titan Dome, then at Evanston on February 21st. The first meeting will help determine seeding as the seeding meetings will be done by the time the second game rolls around.
15) Morgan Park(Chicago)(6-5)- Lost three games down at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. South Carolina treated them rough, but they are still a huge threat in Class 3A with Illinois commit Adam Miller, and Wake Forest commit Marcus Watson Jr in the backcourt.
16) Lincoln Park(Chicago)(12-3)- They acquitted themselves well in Michigan as they went 2-1. Junior guard Ismail Habib received a scholarship offer from Detroit. Back to the tough Chicago Public League Red North/West play for them.
17) West(Joliet)(11-2)- Beat Simeon at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament and ended up finishing third with a loss to Curie and beat Benet(Lisle). Senior guard Jamere Hill was all tournament.
18) Morton(Cicero)(8-4)-Runner up at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament to Bogan. Junior guard Jesus Perez was named tournament MVP, and senior guard Mannuel Rodriguez is a knockdown three point shooter. Senior wing Kendell Nichols does a little bit of everything for the Mustangs. New to the poll.
19) Lake Park(Roselle)(13-1)- Won the Pekin Holiday Tournament. Only loss is to #8 Mundelein on the road.
20) Bolingbrook(11-3)-Won the Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament at York beating the host in the title game in a rough and tumble affair. Senior guard Darius Buford was tournament MVP. This team plays very fast and has a lot of similar sized athletes.
21) Niles North(Skokie) (12-2)- Third place at the Wheeling Hardwood Classic. Won the third place game without all tournament guard Aquan Smart(ankle). Let's hope he's ready when they visit #1 Evanston Township next Tuesday.
22) York(12-2)- Runnerup in their holiday tournament the Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament to Bolingbrook. Senior guard Nathan Shockley is by far their best player. He made all tournament. Junior point guard Jeffrey Grace III is key to running the offense. New to the poll.
23) Stevenson(Lincolnshire)(11-3)- Fourth at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Tournament after being the one seed. Lost to eventual champ Homewood Flossmoor and Marian Catholic in third place game.
24) Schaumburg(13-3)- Third at the Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament at York. Junior center Chris Hodges is the bell cow and he is helped by sophomore point guard Vaurice Patterson. New to the poll.
25) Hinsdale South(Darien)(11-2)-Fourth at the Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament. Senior forward Aaron Tims is their star player and is helped by senior guard Billy Durkin and sophomore guard Robert Durkin. New to the poll.
Simeon, St Charles North, Orr, Oak Park River Forest, all dropped out. Some could come back.
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