Holidays filled with hoops
There are no new changes this year for the boys basketball teams in the Tri-Cities when it comes time to holiday tournaments. From Marengo to Elgin to DeKalb to Pontiac, the teams in the area are traveling all over the place in hopes of winning a tournament title.
Here's a closer look at who is going where and when.
ACC, Marmion at Waubonsie Valley: Two Suburban Catholic Conference rivals are heading to the same place - the 25th annual Matt Laurich Memorial Warrior Christmas Classic.
Eight teams will begin play Mon., Dec. 22. Oswego East and ACC kick off tournament play at 2:30 p.m. with rival Marmion facing Hinsdale Central at 5:45 p.m.
The next day, the Cadets play Naperville North at 4 p.m. with the Chargers and Glenbard North right after.
After two days off for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Marmion takes on Al Raby at 2:30 p.m. and ACC plays the host Warriors in the last game of the night at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday is the final day of tournament play. Last year, ACC and Marmion played for the third place game with the Chargers winning.
"I always look forward to this tournament," ACC coach Nate Drye said. "We always look forward to seeing different teams."
ACC went 3-1 last year after losing the first game to Waubonsie Valley for its first loss of the season. Marmion went 2-2 and in a strange coincidence, play the same three teams.
"Anytime there is good competition, it's a good experience," Marmion coach Rashon Burno said. "We just want to go in every game and compete."
Batavia at Elgin: Elgin is in its 34th season hosting this tournament, which features 16 teams. Play begins Dec. 22 for the Bulldogs, who take on Fremd at 5 p.m. The rest of the tournament is to be determined.
Batavia has won the tournament two of the last three years, including last season. They finished third in 2006.
"We are guaranteed four games and they treat us well," Batavia coach Jim Roberts said.
Other teams participating include Downers Grove North, Glenbard East, Rolling Meadows, Neuqua Valley, Glenbrook South, Hoffman Estates, Wheaton North and Dundee-Crown. The final day of the tournament is Dec. 27.
West Aurora at Pontiac: Jim Drengwitz, former principal of Pontiac and tournament manager for the annual Pontiac Holiday Tournament recently announced West Aurora will receive special recognition at this year's tournament in honor of its longtime attendance at this prestigious tournament. Only host-Pontiac and Lockport have been a part of this tournament - now in its 78th year - longer than the Blackhawks.
Pontiac will also recognize current West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman and former coach John McDougal, two longtime coaches who have coached the Blackhawks at Pontiac throughout the years.
The ceremony will take place Dec. 29, at halftime of the 6:30 p.m. game between Waukegan and Danville.
"It's a nice gesture," West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said. "It was totally unexpected."
The Blackhawks kick off tournament play that same morning against Simeon.
Other teams present will be Joliet, Curie, Lockport, Bloomington, Warren, Niles West, Plainfield North, United Township, Schaumburg, Manuel and Oak Park. Games begin at 8 a.m. and end as late as 9:30 p.m. The Blackhawks were 0-2 last year.
"It will be a challenge for us," Kerkman said. "But the greater the challenge, the greater the opportunity."
Geneva at DeKalb: The Vikings already know who their first three opponents are at the Holiday Tournament. On Dec. 20, they play LaSalle-Peru at 3:30 p.m., followed by Belvidere on the 22nd at 7 p.m., then North Grand at 9 a.m. Dec. 23. Dec. 26 and 27's games are to be determined.
New coach Phil Ralston is "completely unfamiliar" with this tournament, but from what he's heard, it's a good one to be in.
"It's nice we are guaranteed five games over the break," he said.
St. Charles North at Jacobs: The North Stars are in the same boat as the Vikings, as the first three games of Jacobs' tournament is set. They start play at noon on Dec. 20 against Mundelein, followed by Crystal Lake South at 9 a.m. Dec. 22 and Crystal Lake Central at noon on Dec. 23.
The final two days of the tournament, Dec. 26 and 27, are to be determined. Some of the other teams participating include St. Edward, Cary-Grove, Bartlett, Prairie Ridge, Barrington, Elk Grove and Woodstock. The North Stars finished second place to Jacobs last year.
"We are excited to take part in it again," North Stars coach Tom Poulin said. "It's always been fun and enjoyable."
St. Charles East at York: Sixteen teams are at the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic in Elmhurst. Eight were ranked: South Elgin is seeded first, followed by St. Ignatius, Riverside-Brookfield, Conant, Downers Grove South, Glenbard South, Maine South and Willowbrook.
The Saints start play against Riverside-Brookfield Dec. 26 at 1:30 p.m. The rest of the tournament is to be determined for the following three days.
"The teams are great and well-coached, and this year is no different," St. Charles East coach Brian Clodi said. "We like it a lot. It's close and we like how they run it. It's a class act."
Kaneland at Marengo: The Knights were new to this tournament last year, and they finished 2-2. They begin play Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m. against Bogan, followed by F.W. Parker the next day at the same time. On Dec. 27, they will play two games.
"It's not too far, and we get to see teams from the Public League," Kaneland coach Dennis Hansen said.
Aurora Christian at Plano: Aurora Christian competes Dec. 26, 27, 29 and 30 at the Plano Christmas Classic. The seeding meeting for this tournament is today, and with a 2-3 record, coach Marc Davidson doesn't anticipate getting a seed.
"We are still starting to jell a bit," Davidson said.