Previewing the high school basketball holiday tournaments

Here's a preview of the area's best holiday tournaments that start up on Thursday.

Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament at York, Dec. 26, 27, 28, 30, 31

The favorite: Bolingbrook

Since arriving at York five years ago, the Raiders have gone 16-4. Sophomore star Davion Thompson is the type of player you go and win championships with and crowds come to see. But he doesn’t have to do it alone. The 6-7 Valpo-bound JT Pettigrew is one heck of a sidekick, and the supporting cast is coming along nicely.

Top contenders: Metamora, Glenbard West, Rolling Meadows and St. Ignatius

When you have 32 teams in a quality tournament, the list is long. The defending tournament champs aren’t as potent as a year ago, but Metamora hasn’t lost to an in-state team yet and boasts one of the state’s best players. Bradley recruit Matthew Zobrist is a one-man wrecking crew for the Redbirds.

Glenbard West, led by junior TJ Williams, is off to a fantastic 9-1 start and is a threat to make a deep run, while Rolling Meadows and St. Ignatius feature two of the elite seniors in the state in Ian Miletic (Marquette) and Phoenix Gill (Northwestern), respectively, and are also both 9-1.

Sleepers: Lake Forest, St. Patrick, Lemont and St. Laurence

Again, when you bring 32 teams together in a quality tournament, you’re going to have a plethora of sleepers. So here are four who could surprise and still be alive on the final day.

People don’t talk enough about Lake Forest or 6-7 senior Hudson Scroggins. St. Patrick has a bonafide scoring weapon in EJ Breland. Lemont’s Gabe Sularski, Alanas Castillo and Matas Gaidukevicius form a three-headed monster. And with guard EJ Mosley leading the way, St. Laurence has won six in a row and showed its upside with a win over Homewood-Flossmoor.

Storyline: Who’s next? If the Jack Tosh trend continues, there will be yet another new team stepping up and claiming five wins in this six-day basketball marathon. There have been six different champions in the past six tournaments played.

This bodes well for about a half dozen teams as a potential title team outside those most recent champs (Conant, York, Bolingbrook, Glenbard West, Rolling Meadows and Metamora).

Pontiac Holiday Tournament, Dec. 26-28

The favorite: Simeon

This favorite is by seed only, because the Pontiac field is deep and as wide open as it’s been in quite some time. Nonetheless, Simeon does have the horses to help get Tim Flowers his first Pontiac title as a coach. Senior Lorenzo Shields is a veteran who has been through some battles. Andre Tyler is a difference-making 6-5 junior.

The contenders: DePaul Prep, Curie, Benet and Bloom

These four contenders round out what are considered to be the top five seeds. But all eyes and newfound interest in Pontiac will be on the newcomer, two-time defending state champ DePaul Prep. Coach Tom Kleinschmidt’s team makes its Pontiac debut.

Defending champ Curie is off to a fine start but appears unusually vulnerable at Pontiac as the No. 3 seed.

Benet has made it to the championship game four times since 2014, including the past two years, but has yet to win it. The Redwings have difference-making size in 6-9 Daniel Pauliukonis, who is committed to Southern Illinois, and promising 7-foot junior Colin Stack.

If both Benet and Bloom can take care of business in the opening round, the two would meet in a heck of a quarterfinal battle. With stat-sheet-stuffer Elijah Lovemore, do-it-all Payton Edwards and scorer Amare Pryor, Bloom is a serious threat.

Sleepers: New Trier and Joliet West

The Trevians, who would likely face Curie in the second round, have the perimeter play and experience to get to their first Pontiac title game since New Trier East did so in 1979. New Trier has a red-hot weapon in Christopher Kirkpatrick. The 6-2 junior guard continues to show why he’s the catalyst and Division I prospect.

Joliet West and Lockport hook up in a little old neighborhood opening round battle with the winner getting a shot at DePaul Prep. It’s a dangerous Joliet West team with the big, athletic trio of Zion Gross (18 ppg), Ethan Hillsman (10 ppg) and Mickeis Johnson (9 ppg).

Storyline: Simeon and Curie have won every Pontiac Holiday Tournament since 2009. Both of these city powers are again in position as top three seeds to be there again in the end.

However, with five other teams ranked in the Super 25 this is the year someone can finally break through and be the first to claim a title in the last 15 years other than the two city powers. It’s something to monitor and watch play out — and would be a big confidence-builder for that team heading into the second half of the season.

Big Dipper at Rich, Dec. 26-29

The favorite: Kenwood

The unbeaten Broncos are all fueled up for a run at the Dipper after an impressive start to the season and climbing the rankings to No. 1. The pieces seem to fit better than in recent years and players have accepted their roles.

Sophomore star Devin Cleveland and 6-9 senior Aleks Alston are the big names, but the production from two transfers — athletic TJ Seals and guard Amari Edwards — has been seismic thus far.

Top contenders: Homewood-Flossmoor and Rich

Defending champ H-F won the Dipper in thrilling fashion a year ago and is poised for a repeat run. Wofford recruit Jayden Tyler has been the pulse for the Vikings so far this season. Brent Taylor, Arden Eaves, Ethan Howard, Kyle Polk and Darrius Hawkins have provided tough-to-defend balance.

Talented Rich hasn’t clicked just yet, but it’s only a matter of time before the Raptors do with tough-minded junior guard Jamson Coulter and versatile 6-7 Al Brooks.

Sleepers: Crete-Monee and Hillcrest

These two will likely meet in the quarterfinals with the winner getting a shot at mighty H-F in the semis.

Crete-Monee, led by the backcourt of point guard Zyheir Gardner and scorer Jayden Preston, is a physical team. But the Dipper will provide the type of test the Warriors have yet to see. Scoring guard Jovi Ratliff headlines a Hillcrest team that has sputtered a bit out of the gate.

Storyline: All eyes will be on Kenwood in what will be a heavyweight fight at the Dipper. A title here, which would likely include wins over Rich and H-F, would be an exclamation point heading into the second half of the season and clearly establish itself as the state’s best team.

Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic, Dec.. 26, 27, 28, 30

The favorite: Brother Rice

The Crusaders made their Hinsdale Central debut last year. They came in unbeaten but lost twice to finish fourth. This year’s team is once again off to a fast start with a headline-grabbing win over Bolingbrook. Led by guard Marcos Gonzales (20 ppg) and scorer Jack Weigus (15 ppg), can coach Conte Stamas’ unbeaten Crusaders get the job done over the holidays?

Top contenders: Hinsdale Central and Niles North

Hinsdale Central won its own tournament two years ago and is in position to win it again. There is an abundance of size and length to go with continuity and balance with the Red Devils, who are led by South Dakota recruit Vince Buzelis.

Fresh off a big win over Simeon, Niles North has the firepower in underrated Hunter Gawron and guards Yaris Irby and Reid Olson to put pressure on opponents and win this tournament.

Sleeper: Marian Catholic

The Spartans have played in this tournament since 2016, faring well with five top three finishes, including a title in 2018 and a title game appearance last season. This is a pesky group, spearheaded by the 1-2 punch of veteran guard Zach Sharkey (21 ppg) and Delan Davis (18 ppg).

Storyline: Keep an eye on the stars, because some of the biggest names –– Oswego East’s Mason Lockett, Lane’s Dalton Scantlebury and Rockford Auburn’s Amir Danforth –– could wreck a bracket while playing for darkhorse teams.

The smooth 6-5 Lockett is one of the top juniors in the state. The 6-9 Scantlebury is a Division I recruit. Danforth is a junior guard wired to score and is averaging 21.6 points a game and is a three-point marksman.