I went to parts of five holiday tournaments and it was some drama filled games and some dangerous teams moving forward. Here we go:
PLANO:
I was there for the first day and there were some very good performances and it was my first time there. It's a hike from where I am but was worth the trip.
Jack Wheeler of Morris is a 6'5" forward Illinois baseball commit. He had a 22 point 21 rebound (20/20 game) in loss to Marmion Academy (Aurora). Three sport star at the school (football, basketball, baseball).
Freshman (Class of 2028) enter the conversation of first year stars:
Cole Tillman, 6'5" wing of Mendota made the all tournament team. Lefty showed a smooth stroke from outside, nice mid range pull-up, and can get to the basket with nice finishes. Rebounds for his team.
Marion Persich, 6'4" combo guard of LaSalle Peru showed he's a do it all player. Scored from three, on drives, and in the low post in mismatches for baskets. His battle with Tillman was great to see two young players going at it. He's also a dual threat QB on the football field as a starter. Might be his future sport for college.
Jayden Riley put on a show in first round. The 6'2" junior point guard at Yorkville Christian put on a scoring show in first round win. He had 39 points attacking the rim at will and finishing. Lead the tournament in scoring and assists as they came in runners-up. Time to take a look at him as a top point guard in the class in Illinois.
Kaneland won the title for second year in a row. They had an easy blowout in round 1 as junior Marshawn Cocroft had 7 steals in 12 minutes of playing time. He's a scorer but is showing moe point guard skill. Hassan brothers (Freddy (senior)), Jeffrey (sophomore) covered the paint nicely. Team to look out for in Class 3A. Might have a collision with defending champ DePaul College Prep (Chicago) in Hoffman Estates (NOW Center) Supersectional.
JACK TOSH:
32 team tournament at York llived up to it's billing as Bolingbrook won the tournament.
Sophomore combo guard Davion Thompson (6'3") of Bolingbrook won MVP while being sick with a cold. One of the best scorers in the state regardless of class. Three level scorer this lefty is very crafty, and knows how to change speeds.
Valparaiso commit JT Pettigrew (6'7" wing) of Bolingbrook consistently puts up double/doubles and rim protects making all tournament. His brother freshman combo guard Brady (6'3") also made all tournament. Not sure if brothers have ever done that here?
Ty Macariola (6'0" senior combo guard) is a consistent scorer from outside and cutting to the rim for layups. Made all tournament.
Michigan football commit Nate Marshall (6'5" senior forward) scores inside, on an occasional three, in the post, and drives to the rim. All tournament selection.
Metamora came in third. Bradley commit Matt Zobrist (6'5" combo guard) was a scoring machine. He's a legit Mr Basketball candidate. All tournament selection. South Dakota commit Jonah Funk (6'10" center) did some elite rim protecting saving his team in a couple of games. All tournament selection.
St Laurence (Burbank) won consolation bracket. Purdue Fort Wayne commit EJ Mosley (6'0" point guard) was all tournament. The game I saw the best player was sophomore Markese Peoples (6'1" combo guard). He has such a strong center of gravity to play through contact in the paint. Didn't make all tournament but is rising in his class.
Lake Zurich came in fourth and junior Kain Kretschmar (6'4" combo guard) scored in a number of ways vs Metamora. All tournament selection.
Danny Loftus (6'4" forward) of Riverside Brookfield continued his big time senior season with multiple 20 point games. He attacks the rim off the dribble and hits both backboards. All tournament selection.
More freshman:
Yorkville has a good freshman duo of Joey Jakstys (6'6" forward) and Braydon Porter (6'4" guard). Jakstys is a good rim protector, rebounder and scorer in the lane. Porter is a King of Bounce who gets high on rebounds and can dunk on you (taps head).
Wheaton North juniors Henry Schickman (6'0" point guard), and William Channing (6'2" combo guard) both had over 20 points in near first round upset of Metamora.
Aaron McClure of Christ The King College Prep (Chicago) is an undersized power forward (6'6") but is a doubler/double machine. Had some powerful dunks in first round game vs Riverside Brookfield.
Simon Moschlin of Highland Park scored his 1000th point in the tournament.
HINSDALE CENTRAL:
Hosts won the tournament. South Dakota commit Vincas Buzelis (6'4" senior forward) had a 40 point game in semifinal overtime win vs Niles North (Skokie). Won tournament MVP.
I walked in at the end of Amir Danforth (6'0" junior combo guard) of Auburn (Rockford) setting the single game scoring record of 42 points vs Wheaton Academy (West Chicago). Made all tournament.
Speaking of Wheaton Academy: Sophomore Hayden Schroeder (6'7" forward) almost broke the scoring record in next game with 41 points.
Brother Rice came in second but senior Jack Weigus (6'3" senior combo guard) had a couple of games over 20 points taking up slack for injured Citadel commit Marcos Gonzales (6'3" senior point guard).
Jordan Tunis (5'11" senior point guard) of Schaumburg totally controlled the first round game vs Morgan Park (Chicago). He scored, assistsed, controlled tempo, and helped play good defense on high scoring junior Nasir Rankin (6'0" point guard).
Niles North (Skokie) trio of seniors Yaris Irby (6'0" point guard), Reid Olson (6'0" combo guard), and Hunter Gawron (6'7" forward) carried them to a third place finish with consistent play on both ends.
PONTIAC:
Best tournament of the holiday season:
DePaul College Prep (Chicago) wins the tournament in their first try. Title game was high level vs Benet Academy (Lisle). Junior Rashaun Porter (6'7" forward) was big the entire tournament. Took it to 7'2" junior Colin Stack in title game and scored multiple times at the rim. Senior Truman State commit Blake Fagbemi (6'0" point guard) played so well he was AC Williamson Award winner though they finished second. Also two Catholic schools playing in title game for first time.
Benet Academy (Lisle) had the semifinal won, had it lost in overtime, and then ended up beating Simeon Career Academy (Chicago). Benet had a three point lead with six seconds left and only 1 team foul. All they had to do was foul a few times and game was won. Instead Simeon gets the ball into senior Lorenzo Shields (6'3"senior combo guard) and Benet junior Jayden Wright (6'0" combo guard) was chasing him. Tried to grab him to foul but couldn't catch him. Shields dribbles to three pont line and drills it at the buzzer to send it to overtime. Simeon has a four point lead with 8 seconds left in overtime. They had one team foul so they had some to give. Gave one on the ground. Next one Fagbemi shoots a shot from halfcourt to try to get a shooting foul. Leans into Shields and ref calls foul. Three shots. Fagbemi hits 2 of 3 to cut lead to 2. Simeon gets it in and junior Andre Tyler (6'5" combo guard) is called for double dribble (looks like arm was grabbed twice for a foul). Six seconds left. Benet gets the ball into the corner for a Wright three point shot. Ref calls a foul on Shields with 4.1 seconds left. Three shots. Wright hits all three. Benet up 1. Simeon gets it to halfcourt for a timeout with 2.9 seconds left. Simeon gets it in to Tyler for a halfcourt three that wasn't close. What a turnaround in a short period of time. In saying this:
Simeon is a dangerous team going forward. They beat Curie for third place. Their seniors Shields and Julien Doyle (6'5" combo guard) are playing at a high level. Juniors Kamari Hamlin (6'1" shooting guard) is a knockdown three poin shooter. Kassidy Nelson (6'5" combo guard) is running the offense and shootng threes at a high level, Isaiah Coleman (6'5" forward) is rebounding and rim protecting. If Tyler gets back into the mix after being sick, look out for the Wolverines folks. City and Class 4A State Title threat.
New Trier (Winnetka) and Curie (Chicago) will be dangerous:
New Trier looks like they could make a run for a third straight trip to Champaign in Class 4A. Junior Chris Kirkpatrick (6'3"point guard) is playing well but he has to learn to stay on his feet and not get caught in the air jump passing. Senior Wash U St Louis commit Colby Smith(6'4" combo guard) is scoring and hitting the glass. They have to get junior lefty sharpshooter Danny Houlihan (6'3" combo guard) more shots.
Curie is their usual gritty grimy selves. They don't have a lot of size, but effort and quickness makes them effective on the glass. Senior Brad Johnson Jr (6'4" wing) is very underrated as he can knock down a three, or attack the basket and dunk on you. Junior Justin Oliver (5'11") is one of the top point guards in the Chicago Public League. Junior Michael Oliver Jr (5'10" combo guard). Plays 10 people consistently. Beat New Trier (Winnetka) in quarterfinals.
Manual (Peoria) is a serious threat in Class 2A:
They have the best player in the state in Bradley commit Dietrich Richardson (6'7" point guard). He can score all over the floor and set up teammates. Made all tournament. Other top players are juniors Reggie Postlewaite (6'1" combo guard), Josh Humbles (6'2" wing), and senior Terrence Paige (6'3" forward).
First time since I 2008 that neither Simeon Career Academy (Chicago) or Curie (Chicago) won the title. Also first time neither was in the final since that year.
BIG DIPPER:
Rich Township (Richton Park) looks like they have their rotations together as they won their own tournament. Beat previous #1 Kenwood Academy (Chicago) in semifinals and Homewood Flossmoor in title game that was packed. Al Brooks Jr (6'7" senior forward) was MVP, juniors Jameson Coulter Jr (6'3" combo guard) and Jayden Williams (6'3" combo guard) both played at a high level.
Wofford commit Jayden Tyler (6'0"senior combo guard) of Homewood Flossmoor has continued his outstanding senior season. Made all tournament.
Ditto for Terrence "TJ" Seals (6'5" senior combo guard) of Kenwood Academy (Chicago) who's a double/double machine. They lost the semifinal because he was in foul trouble. With the talent they have he makes the team go. Can't have him off the floor for too long.
Freshman duo for Thornwood (South Holland) shines:
Lester Watson (5'11" combo guard) took over the fourth quarter vs Thornton Fractional South (Lansing) then hit the game winner off the dribble mid range pull-up.
Mekhi Young (5'9" point guard) runs the show, can score from three and mid range as well as set up teammates for baskets. Gets after it on the ball defensively.
Kye Ward-Owens of Hyde Park Academy (Chicago) was as aggressive as I've seen him offensively this year. Scored on threes as well as mid range pull-up jumpers.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE HOLIDAYS:
Brady Sehlhorst of Notre Dame College Prep (Niles) scored his 1000th point
Damion Porter Jr of Romeoville scored his 1000th point
Daniel Loza, of Lake View (Chicago) scored his 1000th point
Malachi Persinger of Christian (Peoria) became school's all time leading scorer
Luke Smith of Addison Trail scored his 2000th point
Congrats young fellas
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