Best of Best: Annual Events in Illinois
In our series “Best of the Best” we look at the best Annual High School Events in Illinois.
Adam Lopez Thanksgiving Tournament
The Adam Lopez Tournament has quickly become one of the premier Thanksgiving week events in the state. It brings in high level talent from all over the state and in its first few years has featured some of the premier talent in the state of Illinois. Great atmosphere at Springfield Lanphier High School to watch the games.
Washington TOC
The TOC is an event that I grew up with! I have seen it almost every year and some of the best players in the country have come through. Will never forget sitting baseline with two of my best friends to see Andrew Wiggins vs Nerlens Noel. This event always brings in high level Illinois talent and allows prep fans to also see some of the better central Illinois talent as well. Washington High School is always a fun place to watch a game!
Highland Shootout
The Highland Shootout is one of the longest running shootouts in Illinois and definitely one of the best. The first Saturday in January is always marked on our schedule with this event that has seen superstar national talent over the years who have gone on to play in the NBA as well as elite local talent from both Illinois and Missouri.
Bank of O’Fallon Shootout
This event is only entering its third year, but is a gem for southern Illinois and metro east fans! In front of packed crowds in the huge O’Fallon High School gym this February event has brought in the best of the best from Illinois and had some absolutely epic games!
Chicago Elite Classic
The Chicago Elite Classic was brought to the table by Simeon and Whitney Young along with their coaches Rob Smith and Ty Slaughter. They are two of the premier national programs that travel all over and wanted to bring the show back home. They have done just that with this monster event which has already produced a large number of lottery picks along with some outstanding local talent that are making impacts at the college level.
Team Rose Shootout
The Team Rose Shootout is an event that has steadily grown over the years and is definitely a must attend event! This event brings a lot of public league teams to play against teams that they normally wouldn’t. Always a great field and high level talent.
When Sides Collide
Our friend Joe Henricksen started this event and has seen its popularity grow! Putting matchups of quality teams and prospects makes for a great event each and every single year!
City Suburban Showdown
The City Suburban Showdown was one of the first major events I ever attended. Seeing Derrick Rose vs Evan Turner and Jon Scheyer vs Greg Oden/Michael Conley back in the day were some epic battles! This event was even played in a church one year!
Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament
The Jack Tosh Holiday Classic provides a unique 32 team field with two games always going on. This is one of my favorite events because it gives us an opportunity to find sleepers and small college gems year in and year out.
Proviso Holiday Tournament
This event has been the king of the Holiday tournaments in Chicago for a while. It always has star power from both a team and player standpoint. When you step back in that gym all the history from the event and great games come rushing back.
Hinsdale Holiday Tournament
The Hinsdale Holiday Tournament is quickly becoming one of the best in Illinois in just its third season. After breaking away from Proviso this event has established its own niche with quality programs that are competitive year in and year out.
Centralia Holiday Tournament
With the gym at Centralia this event is tough to beat! It brings in teams from southern Illinois, central Illinois, and the metro east to form an outstanding 16 team field with a lot of history behind it.
Pontiac Holiday Tournament
The Pontiac Holiday Tournament is another long running event that is extremely rich in tradition. Simeon, Curie, and Manual bring star power each and every year to this event that has Chicago powers along with central Illinois contenders.
Collinsville Holiday Tournament
Collinsville’s event has always been strong, but has gotten even better over the last several years with the strength of the talent in the metro east. Last year’s game between Edwardsville and Althoff in the finals was the best game of the year by far.
CPS Public League Playoffs
This event is something that every Chicago basketball player wants to play in. To many of them a city championship is just as important as a state title. Back in the day when the quarterfinals were four consecutive games it was one of the best days all year.