HINSDALE
CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC
2017 Opening Round Game Notes
HC SQUARED: Building a New Tradition of Basketball at Its Best
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HINSDALE
CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC |
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GAME ONE – DEPAUL
COLLEGE PREP (9-1) vs. CRETE-MONEE (7-4) – 9:30 A.M. Last Meeting: These two teams played in the opening round in last year’s Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic and DePaul Prep was a 74-69 victor. Perry Cowan scored 23 points for the Rams. About the Rams: DePaul Prep enters the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic with the most wins (nine) of any team in the event. The Rams made the Final Four at last year’s HCHC. Coach Tom Kleinschmidt recently won his 100th game at the school. DePaul comes into HCHC riding a six game winning streak. About the Warriors: Mario Coleman is the new head coach at Crete-Monee replacing the retired Hall of Famer Tom Cappel. Crete has won seven of their last eight games after starting slow out of the blocks. The Warriors are anything but slow on the court as they have scored 90 points twice this season and are alone at the top of the standings in the Southland Conference. Players to Watch: DePaul’s Perry Cowan was chosen to the Chicago Sun-Times All-City team last year as a sophomore and is a returning All-Tournament Team selection from last year’s Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic. Crete’s Malik Hardmon averaged a double-double in last year’s HCHC for the Warriors. GAME TWO – STEVENSON (6-4) vs. HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR (6-2) – 11:00 A.M. Last Meeting: First matchup between the teams. About the Patriots: Stevenson won their first four games of the season to capture the Palatine Thanksgiving Tournament. The Patriots are looking to avenge their first round upset at last year’s Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic. About the Vikings: H-F has recorded impressive victories against Bloom, Hillcrest and Lincoln-Way East. The Vikings have reached the title game of the HCHC in both of the two years of the event, and have won more games (six) than any other team in HC Squared history. Players to Watch: Stevenson’s Jackson Qualley is a returning starter from last year’s 24-6 North Suburban Conference Championship team. Homewood-Flossmoor’s Ian Stanback is a 6-4 transfer from Hillcrest. GAME THREE – SAINT RITA (5-7) vs. WESTINGHOUSE (3-9) – 12:30 P.M. Last Meeting: First matchup between the schools. About the Mustangs: Saint Rita is making their first appearance at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic. The Mustangs have played one of the area’s most competitive schedules this season, which included Bloomington, Curie, Rockford Auburn and Rockford Jefferson. Rita rebounded from a six game losing streak to beat Loyola Academy in Catholic League play. About the Warriors: Rafie Fields in the new head coach at Westinghouse. The Warriors early season has also been brutal with the likes of Benet Academy, Farragut, Fenwick, Morgan Park and Uplift on the docket. Players to Watch: Saint Rita’s Jordan Matthews is a four year starter for the Mustangs. Westinghouse’s Corinthian Fields is the head coach’s son, and earned All-Conference honors last year in the Public League’s Red-West division. GAME FOUR – MAINE SOUTH (7-2) vs. RICHARDS (5-3) – 2:00 P.M. Last Meeting: First matchup between the teams. About the Hawks: Maine South won the Glenbard East/Lyons Township Thanksgiving Tournament and has averaged 23 victories over the past eight seasons. Maine South figures to be one of the taller teams in the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic with a pair of 6-7 forwards and a 6-4 guard in their starting lineup. About the Bulldogs: Coach Chris Passafiume is in his second year as head coach at Richards and has his team in first place in the South Suburban Red Conference. Players to Watch: Maine South’s Grant Miller is shooting 70% from the floor. Richards elevated sophomore Paul Zilinskas to the varsity for the start of conference play and he scored 12 points in his debut. GAME FIVE – GLENBROOK NORTH (8-2) vs. ROCKFORD AUBURN (6-4) – 3:45 P.M. Last Meeting: First matchup between the schools. About the Spartans: Glenbrook North has been involved in five games this season that have been decided by three points or less. The Spartans captured four victories to win the Glenbrook North/Saint Patrick Thanksgiving Tournament. Head Coach David Weber will be a 2018 inductee to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. About the Knights: After facing Rockford Jefferson, Saint Rita, Whitney Young in November, Rockford Auburn put together a four game win streak and has advanced to the winner’s bracket of the HCHC in each of the last two years. Bryan Ott is in his 19th season as head coach at Auburn. Players to Watch: Glenbrook North’s Kellen Witherell was named to the Central Suburban League All-Conference Team as a sophomore. Auburn’s Yahmir Muhammad is a three year varsity standout. GAME SIX – BOLINGBROOK (7-1) vs. URBAN PREP ENGLEWOOD (7-0) – 5:15 P.M. Last Meeting: First matchup between the schools. About the Raiders: The defending Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic champions, The Brook’s only loss this year came against nationally ranked Iowa City West. Bolingbrook placed third in last year’s IHSA Class 4A state finals. About the Lions: Urban Prep Englewood enters the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic as the only unbeaten school in the sixteen team field. In last year’s HCHC, the Lions lost three games each by a single point. Players to Watch: Bolingbrook has three returning players who received All-State recognition last year. Senior Kaleb Thornton was named to the coaches All-State squad and juniors Joseph Yesufu and Tyler Cochran were honorable mention All-State selections. Davonte Williams and Sean Faulkner return for Urban Prep Englewood, who won the Public League White South conference title last year. GAME SEVEN – HINSDALE CENTRAL (2-5) vs. SAINT CHARLES EAST (7-3) – 7:00 P.M. Last Meeting: First matchup between the schools.
About the Red Devils: Hinsdale Central is a perfect
2-0 in first round games at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic,
beating Crete-Monee in 2015 and Stevenson in 2016. The Red Devils have
played in a single, double and six overtime game at HCHC in the past two
years. |
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