Classic at Loyola features a new Challenge

In three years the Chicago High School Classic has become the premier boys basketball postseason event.

The fourth annual game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Loyola University's Gentile Center in Chicago will feature 21 Division I recruits. And for the first time, the Illinois-Cook County Challenge will showcase some of the state's top uncommitted seniors at 5 p.m.

More than 60 Division I players have participated in the CHSC. Local players include Mundelein's Ben Brust (Iowa) for the North and Neuqua Valley's Dwayne Evans (St. Louis) and Wheaton Academy's Tim Rusthoven (William and Mary) for the South.

Also playing for the North team coached by Dave Weber are two of his Glenbrook North players, his son Austin and Alex Dragicevich (Notre Dame), DeKalb's Jordan Threloff (Illinois State) and Foreman's Mike McCall (St. Louis).

The South team coached by Leo's Noah Cannon includes Simeon's Brandon Spearman (Dayton), Champaign Centennial's Rayvonte Rice (Drake), Hillcrest's Eric Gaines (Kent State), Oswego East's Jay Harris (Valparaiso), Whitney Young's Ahmad Starks (Oregon State) and Anthony Johnson (Purdue) and Marshall's uncommitted Vince Garrett.

In the Illinois-Cook County Challenge, South Elgin's Chaz Taft is coaching Team Illinois. His players include Nate Johnson (Stevenson), Tommy Childs (South Elgin), Lee Skinner (Glenbard East), Rahjan Muhammad and Kareem Amedu (Neuqua Valley), James Fleming (Glenbard North), Luke Labedzki (Bartlett) and Ryan Davis (Deerfield).

The Cook County team includes Joe LaTulip (Prospect), who has committed to Illinois Wesleyan, Shawn Wallace (Notre Dame) and Marlon Senior (Niles North).

Tickets can be purchased for a discounted rate of $8 until April 7 at ChicagoHighSchoolClassic.com. Cost at the door is $10 while high school students with ID, high school coaches, children under 14 and senior citizens are $8.