HINSDALE
CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC
December 26, 28, 29, 30, 2015
www.hcholidayclassic.com
HC SQUARED: Building a New Tradition of Basketball at Its Best
Mike Helfgot's Blog:
Previewing the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic:
Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic
Dates: Dec. 26, 28-30.
Tournament website: hcholidayclassic.com
Favorite: None. There's no shortage of strong contenders — Homewood-Flossmoor, Crete-Monee, Stevenson, Rockford Auburn, St. Charles East, Maine South — but no single team stands out as likely to win the first edition of this tournament.
In the rankings: No. 19 Maine South.
Players to watch: Dwayne Rose, Crete-Monee; Jon Arenas, Maine South; Justin Smith, Stevenson; Perry Cowan, DePaul Prep; Marquan Williams, Perspectives-MSA; Jeremiah Matthews, Crete-Monee.
Best first-round game: DePaul's 4-5 record reflects its strong schedule, and the Rams should be a worthy opponent to St. Charles East (7-2) at 3:45 p.m. DePaul's Perry Cowan, a freshman, has stepped right in and been the Rams' best player. St. Charles East has size, experience and as much reason as anybody to make a deep run.
Bracket talk: There aren't enough safe assumptions in the first round to break down the likely second-round matchups and beyond. Talent- and bracket-wise, Stevenson seems like the best bet to reach the semifinals, but the defending Class 4A champs have a new core that is still working out the kinks.
Title-game prediction: Crete-Monee 66, Stevenson 62.
Mike Helfgot is a freelancer reporter for the Chicago Tribune.