Scouting area boys basketball holiday tournaments
For a second straight year York's 32-team field will dominate the local boys basketball landscape this holiday tournament season.
Beyond the Dukes' 41st annual Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament - featuring 10 DuPage County representatives - teams will spread out among 12 tournaments from Wheeling to Centralia.
Here's a breakdown of the upcoming holiday tournament season:
East Aurora: Dec. 26-27, 29-30
The field: Aurora Central Catholic, East Aurora, Geneva, Lincoln-Way Central, Neuqua Valley, Noble College Prep, Urban Prep, Wheaton Academy.
The favorites: Geneva, Neuqua Valley.
The darkhorse: East Aurora.
The scoop: With Neuqua Valley and Geneva both sitting in the four-team Black Division, the 49th annual event may boil down to their pool-play matchup on Dec. 29. Buffalo-bound Nate Navigato leads a talented Geneva team that started the season with six straight wins while the Wildcats and Connor Raridon also started 6-0 before suffering their first loss. Wheaton Academy, which last season spent the holidays at Proviso West, hopes to bounce back from a rough start and build upon a strong tournament run.
Quotable: "We are simply working on the things we need to in order to improve," said Wheaton Academy coach Pete Froedden. "Everyone tells me this is a great tournament, and we're looking forward to competing."
Glenbard West: Dec. 22-23, 26-27
The field: Glenbard North, Glenbard West, Hoffman Estates, Leyden, Montini, Northridge Prep, St. Francis, Willowbrook.
The favorites: Glenbard West, Willowbrook.
The darkhorse: St. Francis.
The scoop: With no clear-cut favorite it's smart to look at the host Hilltoppers as a team to watch at the 13th annual event. It's true Glenbard West rides a four-game losing streak into Friday's game against Downers North, but one loss came to state-favorite Stevenson and two losses were by 2 points. Justin Pierce has led the Hilltoppers early in the season, but expect a bunch of his teammates to chip in on the home court. Their stiffest test in group play may come in the opener Monday against Willowbrook and standout sophomore Alonzo Verge Jr. While St. Francis tries to upset the Green Pool, Glenbard North and Montini try to jump start sluggish starts in the White Pool.
Quotable: "We expect a great week of competition and matchups of local teams," said Glenbard West coach Tim Hoder. "Many of the teams have gotten off to a good start this season."
Wheeling: Dec. 22-23, 26-27
The field: Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Dundee-Crown, Fremd, Glenbrook South, Lake Park, Libertyville, Maine West, Naperville Central, Niles North, Notre Dame, Prospect, Streamwood, Vernon Hills, Waukegan, Wheeling.
The favorites: Fremd, Notre Dame.
The darkhorse: Lake Park.
The scoop: Can anyone slow down Joe Mooney and Notre Dame? The uncommitted 6-foot-2 senior just dropped 37 points on Hinsdale Central, albeit in the Dons' first loss, so they enter as a clear frontrunner in the 37th annual Hardwood Classic. Waiting on the other side of the 16-team bracket is Fremd, which, despite a recent loss to Prospect, figures to make a run. DuPage Valley Conference foes Lake Park and Naperville Central are in opposite sides of the bracket. Seven times this season the Lancers have allowed 41 or fewer points, and that's the kind of defense it'll take to make it through this field. Naperville Central's young lineup includes four junior starters. They'll continue to grow at Wheeling.
Quotable: "I think the field at Wheeling is overall pretty strong," said Lake Park coach Josh Virostko. "With Fremd, Notre Dame, Naperville Central and Vernon Hills you have some really strong teams."
York: Dec. 26-27, 29-31
The field: Batavia, Conant, DePaul College Prep, Downers Grove South, Elk Grove, Glenbard East, Highland Park, Hinsdale South, Lake Forest, Lane Tech, Lyons Twp., McHenry, Metea Valley, Minooka, Naperville North, Nazareth, Oswego, Palatine, Providence, Ridgewood, Riverside-Brookfield, Rolling Meadows, St. Ignatius, St. Patrick, Sandburg, Schaumburg, Stagg, Timothy Christian, Waubonsie Valley, Wheaton North, Wheaton Warrenville South, York.
The favorites: Lake Forest, Riverside-Brookfield.
The darkhorses: St. Ignatius, St. Patrick.
The scoop: It's tough to pin down a 32-team tournament. Regardless, the 41st annual Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament won't disappoint. Not with 6-foot-8 Dartmouth-bound Evan Boudreaux, Lake Forest's all-time leading scorer, heading to Elmhurst to lead the talented Scouts. Among the many teams to focus on, Riverside-Brookfield is also must-see basketball. Even though the field features 10 DuPage County teams, it'll be tough for one to break through the winner's bracket. Wheaton North is the lone local team among the top eight seeds, but the Falcons know they'll have their hands full in the opening game against Waubonsie Valley. Another reason to come to the Tosh? Checking out 6-10 Hinsdale South center Barret Benson, one of the state's top juniors, is worth the price of admission.
Quotable: "I think anyone could beat anyone on a given day," said Wheaton North coach Dave Brackmann. "When you are one of the top eight seeds and you have to play a really good program like Waubonsie Valley, it just shows you the depth of the field."
Centralia: Dec. 29-31
The field: Addison Trail, Alton, Arlington, Belleville West, Bogan, Cahokia, Centralia, Champaign Central, Harlan, Jacksonville, Marist, O'Fallon, Raleigh Egypt, St. Laurence, Salem, University City.
DeKalb: Dec. 22-23, 26-27
The field: Belvidere, Belvidere North, DeKalb, Eisenhower, Glenbrook North, Hampshire, Harlem, Marmion, Moline, Mundelein, Rochelle, St. Charles East, Schurz, Sterling, West Chicago, Winnebago.
IC Catholic Prep/Westmont: Dec. 26-27, 29-30
The field: Elmwood Park, Evergreen Park, IC Catholic Prep, Latin, Perspectives MSA, St. Edward, Walther Christian, Westmont.
Luther North: Dec. 26-27, 29-30
The field: Amundsen, Bremen, Brother Rice, Bulls Prep, Chicago Academy, Ellison, Fenton, Guerin Prep, Hubbard, Jones, Kennedy, Luther North, Maine East, Payton, Taft, Von Steuben.
Plano: Dec. 23, 26-27, 29-30
The field: Aurora Christian, Burlington Central, Coal City, Dixon, Forreston, Genoa-Kingston, Hinckley-Big Rock, Indian Creek, Kaneland, LaSalle-Peru, Lisle, Mendota, Morris, Newark, Ottawa, Plano, Princeton, St. Bede, Sandwich, Seneca, Somonauk, Streator, Wilmington, Yorkville.
Pontiac: Dec. 29-31
The field: Benet, Bloom, Bloomington, Curie, Danville, Joliet West, Lockport, Niles West, Oak Park, Peoria Manual, Plainfield North, Pontiac, St. Charles North, Simeon, Warren, West Aurora.
Proviso West: Dec. 22-23, 26-27
The field: Fenwick, Hillcrest, Hinsdale Central, Homewood-Flossmoor, Kenwood, Maine South, Morton, New Trier, Phillips, Providence St. Mel, Proviso East, Proviso West, Rockford Auburn, St. Joseph, St. Rita, St. Viator, Stevenson, Uplift.
Romeoville: Dec. 26-27, 29-30
The field: Argo, Chicago Christian, Downers Grove North, Geneseo, Glenbard South, Joliet Catholic, Lemont, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way West, Lindbloom, Oak Forest, Oswego East, Plainfield Central, Reavis, Romeoville, Shepard.
- Kevin Schmit