Centralia Holiday Tournament Preview

<p>Be joyful for holiday hoops.  Gifts are plentiful throughout the state and we are sharing the talent with observers in multiple states..  Lausanne, Arlington, Germantown, and Franklin Centennial will all compete in a southern Illinois event renowned for basketball lovers. Preview the Illinois-based <strong>Centralia Holiday Tournament</strong>!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Dates</strong></p> <p>December 27-29</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Location</strong></p> <p>Centralia High School</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p>Tennessee high school teams are capitalized below.</p> <p><strong>Opening Day Schedule</strong></p> <p>8:30 AM         Champaign Central vs Thornton North<br /> 10:00 AM       Mt. Vernon vs ARLINGTON<br /> 12:30 PM       Belleville West vs Cahokia<br /> 2:00 PM         FRANKLIN CENTENNIAL vs Chatham-Glenwood<br /> 3:30 PM         Alton vs LAUSANNE COLLEGIATE<br /> 6:15 PM         Mundelin-Carmel vs Confluence<br /> 7:45 PM         Centralia vs Marist<br /> 9:15 PM         Evanston vs GERMANTOWN</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Favorites to Win</strong></p> <p>Evanston is possibly the deepest team while Belleville West features PrepHoopsIL #1 player E.J. Liddell (Ohio State signee), but Tennessee's best hope is Centennial.  Arlington played really well mid-December during the Ultimate South Showcase.  They have an extremely difficult draw in this particular event facing potentially the two best teams (Mt. Vernon, Belleville West) in the first three games.</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>Final Four and Championship Picks</strong></p> <p>Belleville West (Champion)<br /> Mt. Vernon<br /> LAUSANNE<br /> Evanston</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>Sleeper Teams</strong></p> <p>Alton and CENTENNIAL</p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>Top 10 Prospects</strong></p> <p>#1 EJ Liddell (Belleville West – 2019 Ohio State)<br /> #35 Johnathan Dejurnett (Lausanne – 2020)<br /> Malik Smith (Alton - 2019)<br /> Donovan Clay (Alton – 2019)<br /> #176 Sam Wiseman (Arlington – 2019)<br /> #20 Sky Forrest (Lausanne - 2019)<br /> #95 Cameron Sims (Lausanne - 2019)<br /> #22 Dusty Williams (Franklin Centennial - 2020)<br /> #75 Tre Carlton (Franklin Centennial - 2020)<br /> Hayden Ledbetter (Lausanne - 2022)</p> <p><strong>Best Unsigned Seniors<br /> <br /> </strong>Sky Forrest (Lausanne)<br /> Donovan Clay (Alton)<br /> Cameron Sims (Lausanne)<br /> Sam Wiseman (Arlington)<br /> <br /> </p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>Young Prospects Most Looking Forward to Evaluating</strong></p> <p>Ben Brown (CENTENNIAL – 2021)<br /> #3 Alden Applewhite (LAUSANNE – 2021)  - Injured?<br /> #59 Dylan Woods (LAUSSANE – 2021)<br /> #17 Bo Montgomery (LAUSANNE – 2020) - injured?<br /> #35 Johnathan Dejurnett (LAUSANNE) - 2020)<br /> Jalen Tillery (GERMANTOWN – 2021)<br /> Manny Strickland (GERMANTOWN – 2021)<br /> Hayden Ledbetter (GERMANTOWN – 2022)</p> <p><strong>Famous Alumni</strong></p> <p>Antoine Walker ('96 NCAA Champion, '06 NBA Champion)</p> <p>Nick Irvin (Mac Irvin FIRE AAU Coach/ 2x 3A State Champion Coach)</p> <p><a href="https://siusalukis.com/news/2018/8/15/saluki-mens-basketball-legend-kent-williams-to-be-inducted-in-mvc-hall-of-fame.aspx">Kent Williams</a> (2,000 point scorer at SIU)</p>