I'll first start with the most entertaining game I saw the entire holiday season, then review the rest of the holiday season. Here we go:
Maine East Holiday Tournament title game:
Niles West (Skokie) 74 Maine East (Park Ridge) 73 2OT: Some people questioned why I went to this game. Well not questioning me anymore as this was possibly the most entertaining holiday tournament final in the state. The hosts were missing their best player senior point guard Deryl Gaddi (5'10) as he played only one game in the tournament (concussion). Maine East was not expected to make the final, but they came close to winning it. This game went back and forth the entire game. Niles West led 19-17 after one quarter and 32-30 at halftime. Maine East led 48-47 after three quarters then the fun began. Maine East offense was running smooth till Niles West changed to a 1-3-1 zone defense at half court, then a zone press. Niles West went on a 10-0 run then Maine East turned around with an 8-0 run to lead by 4 in the last two minutes of the game, then consecutive steals by Niles West in the press defense and scored layups to tie the game. Niles West then scored to take a 2 point lead at 64-62 with 10 seconds left. Maine East dribbles the ball up the court for a last shot but senior guard Need Patel (6'0") was fouled. Patel hits two clutch free throws with 1.2 seconds left to tie the game at 64. Niles West got off a shot from about 60 feet that hit off the rim and caromed off. Overtime. First overtime Niles West took a 4 point lead with the ball but Patel stole the ball at half court and made a layup to cut the lead to 2 at 1:45 left in overtime. Niles West missed a layup, then junior guard Jalan Alphonse (6'0") scored a layup with 30 seconds left. Niles West missed a couple of free throws, and Maine East had a chance to win it in overtime. Patel missed a three at overtime buzzer to keep it tied at 68. Double overtime. Niles West goes up 1 and Maine East has the ball for a last shot to win it. Did not get a shot off as Niles West junior guard Davee Flowers (6'2") stole the ball with 7 seconds left but missed two free throws. Maine East had one last chance but missed a three at the buzzer. Flowers ended up tournament MVP as he filled the stat sheet in title game. Flowers had 20 points 7 rebounds 8 assists and 8 steals. Junior guard Joseph Pantazis (6'1") had 26 points and 5 rebounds for the winners. Junior guard Timothy Mathew had 10 points. Maine East was led by junior guard Tristan Walton (6'1") with 24 points and 6 rebounds, senior guard Samy Salem (5'10") had 16 points 4 rebounds 5 assists. Patel had 16 points and 7 rebounds in the loss. Niles West (Skokie) ups it's record to 9-6, while Maine East drops to 8-6.
Other tournament winners:
Pontiac: Simeon Career Academy (Chicago) over Benet Academy (Lisle)
Proviso West: Whitney Young (Chicago) over Kenwood Academy (Chicago)
State Farm Large Schools: Sacred Heart Griffin (Springfield) over Romeoville
Jack Tosh: Rolling Meadows over Lyons Township (LaGrange)
Big Dipper: Hillcrest (Country Club Hills) over Perspectives Leadership (Chicago)
Wheeling Hardwood Classic: Libertyville over Glenbrook North (Northbrook)
Hinkle: Central (Grayslake) over South (Crystal Lake)
Hinsdale Central: Hinsdale Central over East (Oswego)
Warkins Memorial: Beecher over Newman Catholic
Centralia: Cardinal Ritter (St Louis,MO) over Evanston Township
Pekin: Mount Carmel (Chicago) over Moline
Prairie Farms at Collinsville: MacArthur (Decatur) over Quincy
Gulfport, MS Holiday Tournament: Metamora over Harrison Central (MS)
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