State High School Basketball Holiday Tournament Wrap-Up: Surprises and Dominances on Display
In the whirlwind two-week period of holiday basketball tournaments across Illinois, several teams made significant statements, while others left it all on the court.
One team that did just that was Benet, which emerged as the best team in the state's premier holiday tournament. Their convincing win over the No. 1-ranked team solidified their status as a top contender for Class 4A championship.
Jaxson Davis, the Warren star, put on a show at the Big Dipper Holiday Tournament, averaging an impressive 31 points per game and leading his team to four tournament wins. His outstanding performance made him the standout player of the holiday season.
The Catholic League Blue stood out as the biggest statement from a conference this year, with several top teams making deep runs in their respective tournaments. With the addition of new powerhouses like Benet, Marist, and St. Patrick next season, this league will only continue to grow stronger.
A surprising standout was Mount Carmel, which won the final at the 60th annual Pekin Holiday Tournament despite not being among the top four tournament seeds. The Caravan's success highlights the growth of young talent in the program.
Morgan Park pulled off a significant upset by taking down Oswego East, led by DePaul recruit Mason Lockett, in the second round of the Hinsdale Central holiday tournament. This win marked one of the biggest upsets over the holidays.
Legendary coach Gene Heidkamp finally cleared his last hurdle by winning the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. His team's convincing victory over DePaul Prep marked a significant milestone in an illustrious coaching career.
Pontiac once again established itself as the gold standard for tournament hospitality, and Hinsdale Central took home the top spot for best tournament website. The high school tournaments streamed smoothly, with viewers able to catch every game at an affordable price.
Bloomington's Dallas Marshall made a name for himself at Pontiac, showcasing his skills in front of a large audience. For the Mustangs, this was their chance to shine and they did not disappoint.
York bounced back from an early loss and made the most of it, playing on the tournament's final day despite being relegated to the consolation bracket. The Dukes' senior class came through with clutch performances.
Last but not least, Libertyville's Bryce Wegrzyn set a new scoring record at the Wheeling Hardwood Classic, demonstrating that even in less prominent tournaments, outstanding talent can shine through.
In the whirlwind two-week period of holiday basketball tournaments across Illinois, several teams made significant statements, while others left it all on the court.
One team that did just that was Benet, which emerged as the best team in the state's premier holiday tournament. Their convincing win over the No. 1-ranked team solidified their status as a top contender for Class 4A championship.
Jaxson Davis, the Warren star, put on a show at the Big Dipper Holiday Tournament, averaging an impressive 31 points per game and leading his team to four tournament wins. His outstanding performance made him the standout player of the holiday season.
The Catholic League Blue stood out as the biggest statement from a conference this year, with several top teams making deep runs in their respective tournaments. With the addition of new powerhouses like Benet, Marist, and St. Patrick next season, this league will only continue to grow stronger.
A surprising standout was Mount Carmel, which won the final at the 60th annual Pekin Holiday Tournament despite not being among the top four tournament seeds. The Caravan's success highlights the growth of young talent in the program.
Morgan Park pulled off a significant upset by taking down Oswego East, led by DePaul recruit Mason Lockett, in the second round of the Hinsdale Central holiday tournament. This win marked one of the biggest upsets over the holidays.
Legendary coach Gene Heidkamp finally cleared his last hurdle by winning the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. His team's convincing victory over DePaul Prep marked a significant milestone in an illustrious coaching career.
Pontiac once again established itself as the gold standard for tournament hospitality, and Hinsdale Central took home the top spot for best tournament website. The high school tournaments streamed smoothly, with viewers able to catch every game at an affordable price.
Bloomington's Dallas Marshall made a name for himself at Pontiac, showcasing his skills in front of a large audience. For the Mustangs, this was their chance to shine and they did not disappoint.
York bounced back from an early loss and made the most of it, playing on the tournament's final day despite being relegated to the consolation bracket. The Dukes' senior class came through with clutch performances.
Last but not least, Libertyville's Bryce Wegrzyn set a new scoring record at the Wheeling Hardwood Classic, demonstrating that even in less prominent tournaments, outstanding talent can shine through.
! benet is on fire 
and jaxson davis is literally unstoppable 
, cant believe he dominated at the big dipper tournament! 
but shes it good that catholic league blue is getting some recognition? 
maybe next yr we'll see more teams like st patrick and marist dominating 
also morgan park pulling off that upset against oswego east was lowkey amazing 
and gene heidkamp finally winning his last tournament milestone is everything for the coach 
gotta give props to pontiac 4 their hospitality though 
they definitely proved they're one of the top teams this season! and jaxson davis is literally a baller averaging 31 points per game lol what's his secret? 
anyway, it's cool to see the catholic league blue make a statement with all those powerhouse teams coming in next season. and congrats to mount carmel for pulling off that major upset at pekin - they're def on the rise! 
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. Can't wait to see what next season brings!