HCHC TEAMS DO WELL IN THANKSGIVING TOURNAMENTS

Five teams that will play in this year’s Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic won their Thanksgiving Tournaments this past week and four others finished as runners-up in those events, as the potential top nine seeds compiled a 33-4 win-loss record in opening week play.

Defending HCHC champion Bolingbrook, Glenbrook North, Maine South, Marian Catholic and Stevenson had perfect records over the first week the high school basketball season.  Bolingbrook won the Decatur Tournament with a perfect 3-0 record, winning by an average of 28 points in each contest.  Glenbrook North recorded a 4-0 mark defeating De La Salle in the title game of the Glenbrook North/Saint Patrick Tournament.  Maine South won the Lyons Township/Glenbard East Tournament with four straight wins, and beat Glenbard East 77-47 in the title game on their opponents home court.  Marian Catholic won the Chicago Heights Classic defeating fellow HCHC foe Homewood-Flossmoor in pool play and Hillcrest in the championship game.  And Stevenson won the eight team Palatine Tournament, knocking off York in the title tilt.

Four teams had only one loss in Turkey Tourney play, each to highly regarded opponents.  DePaul Prep was beaten by Niles North 54-48 in the championship game of the DePaul Prep/Lane Tech Tournament.  Homewood-Flossmoor fell to Marian Catholic in the Chicago Heights Classic.  Saint Charles East was upended by Saint Joseph 62-60 in the title game of the Ron Johnson Tournament and Saint Rita fell to Rockford Jefferson 63-54 on the J-Hawks home floor in Rockford’s District 205 Tip-Off Classic.

Hinsdale Central, Rockford Auburn and Westinghouse all suffered multiple losses over Thanksgiving week, but the trio managed to play some of the state’s top squads in tournament competition.  Hinsdale Central lost to ranked Naperville North and West Aurora in the Hoops for Healing event.  Rockford Auburn dropped games to Saint Rita and defending state champion Whitney Young in the Rockford Tip-Off Classic.  And Westinghouse played a “who’s who” of opponents in Hope Academy, Benet Academy and Fenwick in the Fenwick Tournament.

Pairings for the 2017 Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic will be announced on Sunday evening, December 3 on the tournament website www.hcholidayclassic.com and on the event’s social media platforms at www.twitter.com/hinsdaleclassic and www.facebook.com/hcholidayclassic.