After the Thanksgiving holiday tournaments some teams enter my poll, and some will drop out or drop down. Lot's of movement this week:
1) Morgan Park(2-0)- Beat Whitney Young in season opener and won down at the Washington shootout over Gary West Side(IN). Wake Forest signee point guard Marcus Watson Jr was big with 31 points against Gary West. Starts Red South/Central conference play at Class 3A State runner-up Bogan and Christian Brothers(MO) at Chicago Elite Classic on Saturday.
2) Bloom(4-0)- Won the Chicago Heights Classic by winning round one of the Chicago Heights rivalry with Marian Catholic 77-60. Triple double by Plainfield East transfer Christian Shumate(6'5" forward) points, rebounds, and blocks vs Marian Catholic. They start conference play on Tuesday vs Kankakee, Friday Thornridge, and Saturday vs Pace Academy(GA) at Chicago Elite Classic.
3) Whitney Young(0-1)- Tough 2 point loss to Morgan Park to start the season. I am keeping them at #3 as their season starts in full swing this week. Grant Newell(6'7" senior forward) and Sanjolay Nige(6'6 senior forward) will have to keep rim protecting for them to contend for Class 4A State title. They start Red North/West conference play Monday at Farragut which is a tough place to play, then Marshall on Wednesday and Saturday vs Duncanville(TX) at Chicago Elite Classic.
4) Stevenson(4-0)- Won the Palatine Thanksgiving Tournament with pretty much a breeze. 6'5" senior forward RJ Holmes won tournament MVP award as he was consistent throughout. They have a tough test as they go to the Westside of Chicago and play at Westinghouse(Chicago) on Saturday, December 7th.
5) Notre Dame(4-0)- Won the Battle of the Bridge at Lane Tech and DePaul Prep. They beat the host DePaul Prep in the title game. Tournament MVP Louis Lesmond(6'6" junior wing) had 24 points in the game. Big week for the Dons as they play Waukegan on Tuesday and a HUGE match up with Evanston Township on Friday in the marque match up at the Chicago Elite Classic.
6) Marian Catholic(3-1)' Finished 2nd in the Chicago Heights Thanksgiving Tournament to Bloom. Ahron Ulis(6'2" senior point guard) is playing outstanding basketball trying to take his team to the next level. I kept them at 6 not penalizing them for losing to the #2 team in my poll. They play Marist on Friday and at Normal West On Saturday.
7) Bogan(5-0)- Class 3A runner up won their games at the Rockford Thanksgiving Shootout. They start conference play with their big rival #1 Morgan Park on Tuesday. Morgan Park will be looking for pay back after losing to the Bengals in Class 3A Sectional Final last winter. Seniors Antoine Bloxton(6'2"guard) and Kyndal Davis(6'6" wing) have had great starts to their seasons.
8) Evanston Township(4-0) Won the St Viator Thanksgiving tournmament with 4 tough wins, one in overtime. Daeshawn Hemphill(6'1" junior guard) has been a revelation. The transfer from Notre Dame College Prep had double figures in each game. Juniors Blake Peters(6'1" junior guard) and Jaylin Gibson(6'4" junior wing) gave solid performances in the tournament. They play Thursday vs Glenbrook North and Friday vs Notre Dame College Prep in a HUGE GAME!!!!!!!
9) Simeon(0-0)- Ahmad "Black Cat" Bynum, Jeremiah Williams and company open their season with a conference game on Tuesday vs Lindbloom, then play St Frances(MD) on Saturday in the Chicago Elite Classic. Let's see if the basketball team can get some pay back for the thumping their football team took in Baltimore at the hands of St Frances.
10) Fenwick(2-1) Finished second in their Thanksgiving Tournament losing to Benet in the Title Game. They have one of the best players in the area in 6'7" junior wing Bryce Hopkins who had 44 points vs Westinghouse. 6'3" sophomore guard Trey Pettigrew is good support for Hopkins. They are at Providence on Tuesday then have a HUGE rivalry game on Friday vs Oak Park River Forest at the Chicago Elite Classic. Bragging rights of Oak Park are at stake.
11) Joliet West(4-0)- Won their own Thanksgiving Tournament. Junior Jamere Hill(6'2" point guard) was a revelation in the tournament.
12) Orr-(0-0)- 3 time defending Class 2A State Champs open at Danville on Tuesday, then open Red North/West play against Farragut, then Friday at Walter Payton. Transfers Brandon Hall(6'5" senior guard from Simeon) and Norvell Meadows(5'10" guard from Prosser) will be big additions.
13)Glenbrook South(4-0)- Dom Martinelli(6'5" senior forward) averaged over 30 a game to get MVP honors in the Buffalo Grove Thanksgiving Tournament.
14) Curie-(1-0)- Beat Longwood 61-46. Starts Red South/Central conference play vs Brooks on Tuesday, then at Lindloom on Thursday. They travel to Marshall County(KY) Hoops Fest to play Jackson(MS) Callaway on Saturday.
15) Loyola Academy(4-0)- Won Loyola/New Trier Thanksgiving Tournament.
16) Homewood Flossmoor(3-1)- Third place in the Chicago Heights Thanksgiving Tournament. RJ Ogom(6'6" senior forward) has been dominant to start the season.
17) Thornton(Harvey)(3-0)- Debut in my poll. Coach Tai Streets looks like he has another underrated team. Another one in the South Suburbs to watch.
18) Benet(3-0)- Won Fenwick Thanksgiving Tournament by beating host Fenwick without their best player Colin Crothers(6'8" senior forward) who is injured.
19) Hillcrest(2-2)- Lost to Bloom and Homewood Flossmoor. Team will be complete when 5'9" junior guard Mar'Keise "Bucky" Irving gets back from ankle injury suffered playing football.
20) Lincoln Park(2-1)- Lost to a very good Millenium Goodyear(AZ) team at Washington(IL) Thanksgiving Tournament but was impressive in the other two games hence moved up a spot after other teams lost twice.
21) Mundelein(4-0)- Won Mundelein/Grant Thanksgiving Tournament.
22) St Rita(4-0)- Won Riverside Brookfield Thanksgiving Tournament. Christian Henry(6'0" junior guard) was MVP and Alex Millender(6'0" senior guard) and Connor Serven(6'7" senior forward) were all outstanding. Debut in my poll.
23) Bolingbrook(2-1)- Lost to Thornton but still has a lot of potential as a team.
24) Westinghouse(1-2)- Finished 3rd at the Fenwick Thanksgiving Tournament. Devin Davis(6'0" senior guard) showed his scoring chops once again with 33 in loss to Fenwick.
25) DePaul Prep(3-1)- Finished 2nd in the Battle of the Bridge to Notre Dame College Prep. Tyler Johnson(6'2" junior guard) had 36 points in title game They debut in my poll.
Zion Benton, St Viator, Oak Park River Forest all dropped out but could enter back in later in season.
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