Hinkle Holiday Classic: Scotty B's Saturday Notebook

<a>***Use Code “ScottyB30” for 30% off your annual subscription***</a>   Saturday the Holiday Tournaments kicked off!  We will be covering tournaments across the state from now through New Year's Eve!  It all began on Saturday with the Hinkle Holiday Classic from Jacobs!  We walk you through the day in our Notebook!   Lakes Takes Down Rockford Boylan in Fun Contest   The first game that we caught was Lakes victory against Rockford Boylan 79-61.  The lower seeded team took home the victory behind a strong shooting performance.  Class of 2027 small forward [player_tooltip player_id='2829440' first='Ben' last='Newcomb'] goes about 6'3” and was very impactful in the win scoring 27 points.  He has a strong frame and is a nifty finisher around the cup with solid footwork.  Converted with either hand around the rim.  Solid on the glass and knocked in a pair of threes.  His junior running mate [player_tooltip player_id='2413791' first='Carter' last='Martin'] is a plus three point shooter as the combo guard showed athletic pop off the bounce on a couple drives, but it was his four threes that was the most important as he notched 20 points.  Point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2125618' first='Dorian' last='Pullen'] scored 8 points, but the junior guard was at his best as a passer setting others up.  Aidan Hopkins had a big second half for Lakes to help them get the win.  Drained three triples then got loose in the open floor going for 15 points.   Boylan 2026 undersized four man Christian Kennedy is a gritty forward that rebounded at a very high level especially in the first half.  As the game went on he got his offense going on put backs, top of the key threes, and spinning layups for 20 points.  [player_tooltip player_id='2829740' first='Alex' last='Ambrose'] is a 2027 scoring guard that flashed.  Was in attack mode off the bounce getting to his spots for jumpers or layups as he notched 16 points.   #2 Seed Geneva Wins at Buzzer as Prairie Ridge Gives Them Major Test   It looked like 2-7 Prairie Ridge was about to pull off a massive upset over 8-0 Geneva in the first round.  Geneva wouldn't have it as they made key plays down the stretch as Nathan Palmer connected on a three to tie it.  Then point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2409258' first='Gabe' last='Jensen'] ripped a pass on the money inside to [player_tooltip player_id='2415540' first='Ben' last='Peterson'] who put it in as time expired to win 57-55.  Palmer was huge in this game for Geneva as he hit seeral threes, cut off the ball, and was slick off the bounce for scores.  He had 15 points.  Jensen is their top player and he made key plays like that dish when it mattered most.  Quality shooter, active defender, and heady playmaker that dropped 12 points.  David Udoiwood was the x-factor as he is a lead guard that brings athleticism on both ends along with being able to pass and knock down shots notching 11 points.   Prairie Ridge got big games from a trio of seniors.  Elijah Loeding definitely put himself on our radar as a 6'4” small forward who has strength and skill.  The 2026 wing knocked in mid-range jumpers, a pair of threes, and passed it well off live dribbles finishing with 16 points.  Maddon Mckim goes about 6'3” and the small college gem is a gritty player that plays taller than his height.  Hook shots, runners, and got on the offensive glass.  Cut off the ball as well notching 14 points.  Tiago Gray is a big bodied legit sized five that finished out of the dunker spot, got second chance points, and was a very good passer as he had 8 points.   Barrington Avoids Upset in OT Win over Grant   The next game was another nail biter that went to OT. Barrington led most of the game including being up 14 in the third quarter, but Grant kept scrapping away at the lead before they tied it at the buzzer on a put back at the end of regulation. Barrington would prevail in the extra session winning 82-79. They are led by one of the best unsigned seniors in the state [player_tooltip player_id='1845354' first='Oliver' last='Gray']. He has size, length, athleticism, and skill. They were all on display in a 27 point outing where he knocked in a couple threes, but really showed off his improved handles being slippery getting to the cup for buckets. Jackson Roberts stepped up in this game for Barrington as the 6'1” junior guard had 24 points as he just made play after play. Pushes in open floor, drive and kick dishes to shooters, acrobatic layups, and was active on the defensive end. Evan Shechtman is a flame thrower who got them going in the first half draining four threes for 14 points. [player_tooltip player_id='2532017' first='Luke' last='Loughlin'] didn't score much, but was the straw that stirred the drink as he got everyone involved with his excellent passing feel.   Grant had a ton of new names emerge. Damarion Smith is a strong and compact guard that used his physicality consistently getting downhill on drives as he was in attack mode all game long. Crashed the offensive glass for a guard netting 18 points. Noah McMath is another physically built senior guard who shot it well from three knocking in several en route to 16 points. Darnell Stitts gave them life in the second half as the 2027 stocky guard pressed the issue getting in the lane for runners, scoop shots, and euro steps. Capable shooter as well notched 16 points. [player_tooltip player_id='2125596' first='Charles' last='Schlicht'] quietely went about his business finishing with 16 points making a couple key shots late in the contest. Bouncy 2026 power forward Jayden Smith is so quick on his second jump racking up put backs including the one that sent it to OT as he had 10 points.   Larkin Knocks Off Host Jacobs in #5 vs #12 Matchup   After two near upsets we finally got one here as it was the classic #5 vs #12 game you seeing the NCAA Tournament every year.  Larkin came out and was the better team right from the jump and never relented winning 73-60.  [player_tooltip player_id='2408995' first='Jahvion' last='Sowers'] was the story for Larkin.  The 6'2” guard scored 20 points in the win.  He is a smooth guard that got to the line consistently throughout the contest along with showing a free and easy shot from deep.  Athletic guard definitely emerged in this one!  Jayden Bailey got them going early as the 5'6” senior guard gave them a spark with floaters, mid-range jumpers, and a three for 15 points.  Their 6'6” power forward [player_tooltip player_id='2823438' first='Lawrence' last='Sallis'] caught our attention as well.  The 2026 big man has some intriguing tools with his athleticism, tenacity on the glass, rim running ability, and good free throw stroke.  He had 11 points.   [player_tooltip player_id='2532321' first='Elijah' last='Bell'] was the clear leader for Jacobs.  The 2027 guard broke out at the Prep Hoops camp in the early fall and has continued that helium into his new high school team.  The 6'3” well built guard loves to use his burst getting downhill for scores whether it is layups, short jumpers, or getting on the offensive glass.  Knocked in a couple of threes late and passed it well especially early as he notched 24 points.   Crystal Lake South Rounds into Form in 2nd Half   In the last few years Crystal Lake South has been a dominant team in this tournament.  They lost four of their first five games to start the season, but have went 4-1 since then.  The Gators are starting to look like the team we thought they could be as they topped Grayslake Central 65-49.  They have several highly ranked prospects, but it was a pair of under the radar 2027 wings that took the lead in this one for them.  Illini baseball commit [player_tooltip player_id='2750020' first='Carson' last='Trivellini'] had 17 points in the win.  He is a skilled wing that can attack close outs, knock in crisp pull ups for days, and puts his head down to score at the cup.  Also a good passer that consistently set others up.  [player_tooltip player_id='2802061' first='Nick' last='Stowasser'] is a 6'4” junior wing who also might end up taking the baseball route in college, but could be a small college hooper if he chose.  Notched 25 points in the victory.  Plus shooter off the catch that drained them all over notching four of them in the victory.  Scrappy rebounder and defender that runs the floor and plays with toughness.  [player_tooltip player_id='2915369' first='Noah' last='Cook'] is a toolsy combo forward with what you look for at 6'6” with length and the frame.  Quiet first half, but was more assertive in the second half starting with an alley-oop dunk, and-1 sprinting down the court, and mixed up defensively getting blocks along with steals.  He had 8 points.  [player_tooltip player_id='2369867' first='Ryan' last='Morgan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2369943' first='John' last='Morgan'] are big bodied five men that have a ton of skill in their backs.  They went for 7 points and 6 points respectively.  Ryan had a power jump stop for a bucket and finished several other times out of the dunker spot.  John took his men off the dribble from the mid-post area.   Grayslake Central point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1465903' first='Alex' last='Granville'] is their go to player.  Confident 5'10” point guard that shot it well from the perimeter knocking in four from beyond the arc in the loss to Crystal Lake South.  Flashed some creativity with the ball in his hands as both a scorer and passer.  The senior went for 19 points.  [player_tooltip player_id='2833591' first='Cordell' last='Johnson'] is a wide bodied 6'3” center that carved out space for scores inside along with hitting the glass recording 7 points.  [player_tooltip player_id='2825869' first='Cole' last='Halverson'] notched 9 points while [player_tooltip player_id='2832476' first='Owen' last='Perz'] scored 8.   Benet Did to Bartlett what Oregon football did to James Madison at Same Time   Going on at the same time of the final first round CFP game where Oregon was dismantling James Madison it was Benet doing exactly the same to Bartlett as the top seed cruised to a 74-23 win. They are going for two holiday tournament titles at both Hinkle and then finishing up the last three days of the year at Pontiac.   It was all Benet right from the start as they blitzed Bartlett from the jump with their size, passing, and shot making. Top 2026 center [player_tooltip player_id='2105376' first='Colin' last='Stack'] scored 12 points in the first quarter on hook shots and dunks. Got pretty much whatever he wanted as the seven footer was towering over his opponents. Top 10 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2323620' first='Ed' last='Stasys'] is a four man who continues to move up the board each game. He had a steal that he took the other way for a dunk in addition to several other flushes out of the dunker spot for 9 points in limited action. Like what we saw from [player_tooltip player_id='2425956' first='Perry' last='Tchiegne'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2426050' first='Blair' last='Fagbemi']. The junior pair passed it on the money and got after it defensively. [player_tooltip player_id='2125689' first='Tyler' last='Cibulka'] is a name we hadn't heard much about, but the 2027 shooting guard had a nice outing as he hit a three on his first touch. Also was active defensively and on the glass.   Quick Recap of Morning Games   Cary Grove 57  Mundelein 39   [player_tooltip player_id='2485331' first='AJ' last='Berndt'] 13 pts [player_tooltip player_id='2482184' first='Adam' last='Bauer'] 10 pts   Carson Koenigsknecht 9 pts   Naperville North 65  Johnsburg 54   [player_tooltip player_id='2426009' first='Carson' last='Loughlin'] 21 pts [player_tooltip player_id='2409224' first='Jack' last='Zitko'] 19 pts   Trey Toussiant 15 pts Ashton Stern 13 pts

***Use Code “ScottyB30” for 30% off your annual subscription***