Scouting: Boys basketball holiday tournaments
31st annual Wildcat Hardwood Classic
Where: Wheeling High School
When: Dec. 22-23, 26-27
Defending champ: Loyola
Favorite: North Chicago
Dark horse: St. Viator
Outlook: North Chicago, last year's runner-up, returns potent guard combo of Keith Ford and DeShawn Chambliss for a run at first title since 1981. Also in that half of the bracket are Stevenson, three-time defending champ Loyola and Prospect, which will try to win its first title with Kevin Reed and guard Jason Leblebijian and Joe LaTulip. Naperville Central and Northwestern-bound Drew Crawford suffered only loss to South Elgin. Potential for intriguing second-round matchup of East Suburban Catholic rivals St. Viator and guard Alan Aboona and Notre Dame.
35th annual Jack Tosh Holiday Classic
Where: York High School, Elmhurst
When: Dec. 26-27, 29-30
Defending champ: St. Ignatius
Favorite: St. Ignatius
Dark horse: Glenbard South
Outlook: St. Ignatius and Pete Doerrer give teams fits with its discipline and shooters and upset Marshall on Sunday and has taken highly regarded Seton to the wire twice. Glenbard South, which upset Batavia on Friday, could be a threat in the bottom half of the bracket. Surprising unbeaten South Elgin and 6-9 Sacramento State-bound Dani Lopez got the top seed. Also in its bracket are Conant, which lost last year's title but returns versatile Tony Rizzo and Tim Gilhooly, and Downers Grove South and 6-5 Malcolm Herron.
Lemont Christmas Classic
Where: Lemont High School
When: Dec. 26-27, 29-30
Defending champ: Hinsdale South
Favorite: Providence St. Mel
Dark horse: Sandburg
Outlook: Tourney split into 8-team brackets with big- and small-school winners meeting for title. St. Mel is unbeaten while Romeoville is the class of the big-school crew at 5-1. Leyden has been playing better behind Alex Regalado and just beat Hinsdale South.
34th annual Elgin Holiday Tournament
Where: Elgin High School
When: Dec. 22-23, 26-27
Defending champ: Batavia
Favorite: Neuqua Valley
Darkhorse: Dundee-Crown
Outlook: Neuqua has been rolling with Todd Raridon and almost everyone back from last year's supersectional team. But there are obstacles in its half of the bracket in Rockford Auburn, a younger Batavia team led by David Bryant, Glenbard East and Rolling Meadows and high-scoring Richie Kemph. Unbeaten Hoffman Estates and Luke Mead and Chris Hall are in the bottom half of the bracket with Glenbrook South and 6-8 Notre Dame-bound Jack Cooley, balanced Buffalo Grove and D-C and Jeff Beck.
44th annual Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament
Where: Pekin High School
When: Dec. 29-31
Defending champ: Mount Carmel
Favorite: Bartonville Limestone
Darkhorse: Moline
Outlook: How about a title showdown between two of the best guards in the state in sophomores Donivine Stewart of unbeaten and top-seed Limestone and Tracy Abrams and No. 3 Mount Carmel? Limestone's half of the bracket includes No. 4 Morton, which lost last week to Pekin and opens with Hersey. Moline has only lost once. In the top half, Richwoods, last year's runner-up, is the No. 2 seed. Washington lost Matt Roth to Indiana but still has stud guard Dyricius Simms-Edwards. Rockford Boylan coach Steve Goers, who is closing in on the all-time boys career win record, has his youngest team at the school and faces Lake Zurich, which has played a rugged early schedule with guard Connor Mooney and 6-6 Brandon Kunz.
78th annual Pontiac Holiday Tournament
Where: Pontiac High School
When: Dec. 29-31
Defending champ: Simeon
Favorite: Waukegan
Dark horse: Peoria Manual
Outlook: Pretty powerful field considering Manual, second in 2A last year and having just beaten North Lawndale, and all-stater Paris Gulley are unseeded. Rams could get second-round matchup with No. 4 Schaumburg and Cully Payne, off to 8-0 start for first time since 1998-99 fourth-place AA finisher. Unbeaten Waukegan got the top seed with Illinois-bound junior Jereme Richmond. Might be a pretty big New Year's Eve caravan from Lake County if No. 2 Warren and Illinois-bound Brandon Paul get a shot to avenge only loss to Waukegan in the title game. Three-time defending champ Simeon lost four of its first five but still got the third seed.
Jacobs Golden Eagle Classic
Where: Jacobs High School
When: Dec. 20, 22-23, 26-27
Defending champ: Jacobs
Favorite: Bartlett
Dark horse: Mundelein
Outlook: Five-day, pool-play tourney gets rolling Saturday as Bartlett and Luke Labedzki hope tough early schedule with losses to Waukegan and Warren pays off. Jacobs lost Johnny Moran to Northern Iowa but has big man Conrad Krutwig and Tim Moran back for a run at third straight title. Johnsburg has a big threat in big-time 6-7 junior football recruit C.J. Fiedorowicz and Mundelein can roll up points in a hurry with junior guard Ben Brust.