HINSDALE
CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC
December 26, 28, 29, 30, 2015
www.hcholidayclassic.com
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the Tournament Bracket
FIRST ROUND PAIRINGS SET FOR 2015 HINSDALE CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC
The
first round matchups of the inaugural Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic are
now set.
The tournament field features two defending state champions, eight
conference champions, four conference runners-up, eight teams with 20 wins
or more last year; and all sixteen teams compiling a record of .500 or
better during the 2014-15 season.
Richards (4-1) will tip off first game action at the 9:30 start on Saturday,
December 26 against Chicago Hope Academy. The Bulldogs feature 6-5 junior
Jaylan Catledge, who averaged over 20 points per game during the
second half of the season last year as a sophomore, en route to becoming the
first ever sophomore to win the Reporter/Regional News Player of the Year.
Chicago Hope Academy is the defending Chicago Prep Red Conference Champions
and a state tournament contender in Class 2A.
Game two pits Illinois Class 4A state champion Stevenson against Chicago
Public League North conference champion Foreman. Stevenson (3-1) returns
6-7 junior forward Justin Smith from their title team, and is rated
as the top junior in Illinois by a number of publications.
Chicago Heights Thanksgiving Classic champion Homewood-Flossmoor (3-2) faces
Lincoln Park (3-1) in the 12:30 p.m. game on December 26. The Vikings
finished 14-3 to close the season last year, winning both a Southwest
Suburban Conference championship and a Regional title. Both teams have
recorded impressive victories this year as Homewood-Flossmoor has beaten
Marian Catholic and Hillcrest and Lincoln Park has victories over Loyola
Academy and New Trier.
The fourth game of the first day of the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic
pairs two traditional state basketball powers that both like to run up and
down the court. Rockford Auburn (3-2) will meet Westinghouse in the 2:00
p.m. clash. The Knights have made four sectional final appearances in the
last five years and have three sophomores on their roster this year.
Westinghouse has recently reclaimed their status as a Public League
powerhouse, as they were a perennial state tourney participant in the
1970’s-2000’s. Six-foot, six-inch Coreyoun Rushin is one of the
Warriors’ top prospects in the Class of 2017.
The bottom half of the bracket starts off with Saint Charles East (4-1)
playing DePaul Prep at 3:45 p.m. The Saints have wins over Metea Valley and
West Aurora this year and are coming off an Upstate Eight Conference
Championship. 6-2 Guard Evan DiLeonardi is a top-notch defensive
stopper. The Rams are coached by Thomas Kleinschmidt, who returned to coach
at his alma mater in 2012. A player to watch for DePaul is six-foot,
four-inch freshman Perry Cowan.
Maine South (5-0) will face Urban Prep Englewood is a showdown between an
established program and an up-in-coming team. South won the Maine West
Thanksgiving Tournament. The Hawks were led by 6-11 center Brad Perry
who set the single game school record for rebounds with 21 in the title
contest. Guard Jon Arenas is the leading scorer back from last
year’s 26-4 squad. Urban Prep Englewood is on the rise and looks toward a
tiny dynamo named Fred Cleveland, II. The five-foot, three-inch
freshman has consistently played up multiple grade levels while playing AAU
ball for the Mac Irvin Fire, and looks to become a household name over the
next few years.
The 7:00 p.m. contest matches host Hinsdale Central against Crete-Monee
(4-1). The host Red Devils lost over 90% of their offense from last year’s
23-7 Regional Champions. 6-6 forward Peter Blust is the top
offensive returnee for Hinsdale. The Warriors won the Southland Athletic
Conference last year and have only one set back this year – a two point
overtime loss to the hosts at the Joliet West Thanksgiving Tournament. Hall
of Fame Coach Tom Cappel is in his 27th year as a head coach.
Class of 2017 guard Dwayne Rose, the nephew of Chicago Bulls guard
Derrick Rose, is getting much attention for Crete.
The final game of the first day features two of the top guards in the
Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic. Crespi Carmelite (4-1), from Encino,
California, won the Division IV California Interscholastic Federation state
championship last year and is led again by guard De’Anthony Melton, a
USC recruit. Melton is one of the top senior guards west of the Rockies.
Their opponent will be Perspectives Math & Science Academy – the alma mater
of NBA All-Star Anthony Davis. The Wolves (3-2) have won their last three
games and are led by sophomore Marquan Williams, possibly the most
exciting player in the Class of 2018. Williams averaged 21.3 points and 4.6
assists as a freshman on the varsity last year.
In addition to a very competitive field and top players in each graduating
class, the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic features a five dollar full day
admission price, making it the most economical ticket price of all holiday
tournaments in Illinois. A four-day pass, good for all 32 games of the
event, will be offered on the first day and will cost $15.00.