Holiday Preview: Central Illinois Tournaments
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<p>It is that time of the year! Holiday basketball tournament season is upon us! Prep Hoops Illinois examines the top Central Illinois Tournaments that will be taking place after Christmas including Pontiac, Pekin, and State Farm. <strong>Holiday Preview: Central Illinois Tournaments</strong> we dive into the schedule, top prospects, best first round games, sleeper teams, and our picks for final four as well as the champion!</p>
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<p><strong><u>Pontiac</u></strong></p>
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<p>Dates: December 28-December 30</p>
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<p>Location: Pontiac High School</p>
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<p><br><strong>First Round Schedule:</strong></p>
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<p>9:00 AM Oak Park River Forest vs St. Charles North<br>10:30 AM Benet vs Lockport<br>1:00 PM Simeon vs Plainfield North<br>2:30 PM Bloom vs Danville<br>4:00 PM West Aurora vs Peoria Manual<br>6:00 PM Curie vs St. Rita<br>7:30 PM Joliet West vs Pontiac<br>9:00 PM New Trier vs Bloomington</p>
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<p><br><strong>Top Prospects to Watch:</strong></p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='1194776' first='Max' last='Johnson'] (OPRF – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545121' first='Justin' last='Bowen'] (OPRF – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385310' first='Alexander' last='Vincent'] (OPRF – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1552393' first='Gabriel' last='Sularski'] (Benet – 2026)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1598682' first='Daniel' last='Pauliukonis'] (Benet – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105376' first='Colin' last='Stack'] (Benet – 2026)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105390' first='Jayden' last='Wright'] (Benet – 2026)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1750596' first='RJ' last='McKinnie'] (Simeon – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385305' first='Lorenzo' last='Shields'] (Simeon – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1552394' first='Andre' last='Tyler'] (Simeon – 2026)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1295649' first='Jeffrey' last='Fleming'] (Plainfield North – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545131' first='Elijah' last='Lovemore'] (Bloom – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2318145' first='Elijah' last='Allen'] (Bloom – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1468249' first='Santana' last='Flowers'] (Bloom – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545116' first='Terrence' last='Smith'] (West Aurora – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1295535' first='Jordan' last='Brooks'] (West Aurora – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1576114' first='Dietrich' last='Richardson'] (Peoria Manual – 2025)<br>Gerron Trapps (Peoria Manual – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1157211' first='Carlos' last='Harris'] (Curie – 2024 – UIC)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1157209' first='Will' last='Gonzalez'] (Curie – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1373437' first='Justus' last='McNair'] (Joliet West – 2024 – Valpo)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1404027' first='Drew' last='King'] (Joliet West – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1766497' first='Zion' last='Gross'] (Joliet West – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385306' first='Colby' last='Smith'] (New Trier – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1554516' first='Christopher' last='Kirkpatrick'] (New Trier - 2026)<br><br><strong>Best First Round Matchup:</strong></p>
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<p>Aurora West vs Peoria Manual</p>
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<p><strong>Sleeper Teams:</strong></p>
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<p>OPRF, Simeon, West Aurora, Manual</p>
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<p><strong>Final Four Predictions and Champion:</strong></p>
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<p>Benet (Champion)<br>Bloom<br>Curie<br>Joliet West</p>
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<p><strong><u>State Farm Holiday Classic Large School</u></strong></p>
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<p>Dates: December 27-December 30</p>
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<p>Location: Illinois Wesleyan, Bloomington HS, Normal West HS</p>
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<p><strong>First Round Schedule: (Not in Bracket Order)</strong></p>
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<p>10:30 AM Bradley Bourbonnais vs Dunlap<br>12:00 PM Rock Island vs Oswego<br>1:30 PM Joliet Central vs Harlem<br>3:00 PM Metea Valley vs Peoria<br>5:00 PM Normal Community vs North Chicago<br>6:30 PM North Lawndale vs Addison Trail<br>8:00 PM Romeoville vs Mahomet-Seymour<br>9:30 PM Wheaton Warrenville South vs Sacred Heart Griffin</p>
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<p><br><strong>Top Prospects to Watch:</strong></p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='1545117' first='Nick' last='Allen'] (Bradley Bourbonnais – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105178' first='Dasean' last='Patton'] (Oswego – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1978583' first='Will' last='Ashford'] (Metea Valley – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545139' first='Jake' last='Nosek'] (Metea Valley – 2025)<br>Lashawn Stowers (Peoria – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1157233' first='Jaheem' last='Webber'] (Normal Community – 2024 – Wright State)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1172774' first='Braylon' last='Roman'] (Normal Community – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285483' first='Niko' last='Newsome'] (Normal Community – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285481' first='Noah' last='Cleveland'] (Normal Community – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1766461' first='EJ' last='Mosley'] (Romeoville – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385302' first='Damion' last='Porter'] (Romeoville – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1552462' first='Mickeis' last='Johnson'] (Romeoville – 2026)<br><br><strong>Best First Round Matchup:</strong></p>
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<p>Metea Valley vs Peoria</p>
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<p><strong>Sleeper Teams:</strong></p>
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<p>Wheaton Warrenville South, Sacred Heart Griffin</p>
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<p><strong>Final Four Predictions and Champion:</strong></p>
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<p>Bradley Bourbonnias<br>Metea Valley<br>Normal Community (Champions)<br>Romeoville</p>
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<p></p>
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<p></p>
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<p><strong><u>Pekin Holiday Tournament</u></strong></p>
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<p>Dates: December 27-December 29</p>
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<p>Location: Pekin High School<br><br><strong>First Round Schedule:</strong></p>
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<p>9:00 AM Normal West vs Springfield Lanphier<br>10:30 AM Mt. Carmel vs Limestone<br>12:45 PM Moline vs Plainfield North<br>2:15 PM East St. Louis vs Washington<br>3:45 PM Lake Park vs Hersey<br>6:30 PM Pekin vs Rockford Boylan<br>8:00 PM Morton vs Intrinsic Downtown<br>9:30 PM Peoria Notre Dame vs Perspectives MSA</p>
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<p><strong>Top Prospects to Watch:</strong></p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='2323677' first='Camron' last='Dunson-Riggs'] (Normal West – 2027)<br>Shaunasey Hatchett (Springfield Lanphier – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385295' first='JaiQuan' last='Holman'] (Springfield Lanphier – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1373436' first='Angelo' last='Ciaravino'] (Mt. Carmel – 2024 – Northwestern)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285492' first='Lee' last='Marks'] (Mt. Carmel – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385307' first='Cameron' last='Thomas'] (Mt. Carmel – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545138' first='Braden' last='Freeman'] (Moline – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545132' first='Treyvon' last='Taylor'] (Moline – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1429130' first='Vinablo' last='Adjahoungbeta'] (Moline – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1750704' first='Davis' last='Bynum'] (East St. Louis – 2024 – Cal State Fullerton)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1978581' first='Taylor' last='Powell'] (East St. Louis – 2024 – Northern Illinois FB)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1766471' first='Arlandis' last='Brown'] (East St. Louis – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1764717' first='Camden' last='Cerese'] (Lake Park – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1157350' first='Matthew' last='Jurgens'] (Pekin – 2024)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1232827' first='Wes' last='Gudeman'] (Morton – 2025)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1373440' first='Eoin' last='Dillon'] (Peoria Notre Dame – 2024 – Belmont)<br><br><strong>Best First Round Matchup:</strong></p>
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<p>Normal West vs Springfield Lanphier</p>
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<p><strong>Sleeper Teams:</strong></p>
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<p>Pekin, Peoria Notre Dame</p>
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<p><strong>Final Four Predictions and Champion:</strong></p>
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<p>Mt. Carmel (Champion)<br>East St. Louis<br>Lake Park<br>Morton</p>
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It is that time of the year! Holiday basketball tournament season is upon us! Prep Hoops Illinois examines the top Central Illinois Tournaments that will be taking place after Christmas including Pontiac, Pekin, and State Farm. Holiday Preview: Central Illinois Tournaments we dive into the schedule, top prospects, best first round games, sleeper teams, and our picks for final four as well as the champion!
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