Here’s a remedy for that college football hangover–head out on Friday to the Illinois Institute of Technology and check out the Chicago Public Schools Holiday Invitational Showcase.
The featured teams are No. 2 Hyde Park (7-0) and No. 3 Simeon (7-1), which arrived home Thursday after knocking off previously top-ranked West Aurora to claim the Pontiac Holiday Tournament.
Saturday’s 1 p.m. semifinal could pit Hyde Park against No. 16 Curie (9-2) followed by Simeon versus No. 11 Von Steuben (5-3) at 2:30.
Which leads us to the first of five key issues that will help clarify the state of high school hoops as we enter the new year.
1. Will two or three Public League teams qualify for the Class AA quarterfinals? City teams won three major holiday tournaments with Simeon at Pontiac, Westinghouse at Pekin and surprising Prosser at Bloomington-Normal. Julian came within four points of No. 1 Homewood-Flossmoor at Proviso West, and Hyde Park could come away with the Showcase title. There’s a good chance Curie could face either Hyde Park or Simeon in the Illinois-Chicago supersectional as long as No. 5 Brother Rice doesn’t win it all. No. 6 Westinghouse and Von Steuben are the early favorites to meet in the United Center 1 supersectional while No. 8 Julian could have a rematch with H-F in UC super 2.
2. Can anybody beat nationally ranked Peoria Central? It’s going to be very difficult. The defending Class AA champion Lions are led by 6-foot-6-inch point guard Shaun Livingston, rated by some recruiting services as the best player in the country. The Lion King is supported by Northwestern signee Brandon Lee, 6-7 DeAndre Miranda, 6-6 Dustin Warfield and Jacob Motteler.
3. Will Hales Franciscan be allowed to defend its Class A title? That decision is forthcoming on Jan. 12 when the Illinois High School Association will decide whether the school is implementing a plan designed to ensure that Hales does not commit any further recruiting violations. Even if the Spartans’ postseason ban is rescinded, they would likely have to get past a talented Leo ballclub before returning to Carver Arena in Peoria.
4. Early-season surprises that should be legitimate contenders come March: Hyde Park wasn’t on anybody’s radar back in November, but the Indians knocked off Westinghouse, Julian, Farragut and Curie behind the stellar play of point guard Stefhon Hannah. Nobody figured Glenbrook North could come close to last season’s third-place finish with only one returning starter. But 6-6 sophomore Jon Scheyer has carried the Spartans in December while 6-8 Dan Dawson, 6-6 sophomore Zach Kelly and junior point guard Sean Wallis develop into solid complementary players. St. Ignatius doesn’t look like anything special, but three-point specialist Max Kaplan has a knack for igniting a rally and knocking down crucial shots. Guards Perrick Robinson and Jason Bowden along with 6-3 Brandon Ely keyed a holiday surge that led No. 18 Prosser past perennial state contender Rockford Boylan at the State Farm Classic. Joliet will continue to be a dangerous team as 6-3 Jeremy Fears is emerging as one of the top players in the Chicago area.
5. Forget about the rankings of analysts and scouts, these guys can simply flat-out play:
– Fears is rated between 10th and 15th in the senior class, but he is outplaying almost everyone so far.
– Hannah isn’t listed among the top 25 seniors by one scouting service, yet is among the top three-point shooting guards in the Public League.
– Zach Pancratz of Schaumburg has signed with Northern Illinois, but the 6-5 guard is playing like a big-time college prospect.
– Simeon has hit the trifecta with 6-6 athletes Calvin Brock, Brandon Alexander and Anthony Newell.
– There might not be a better on-the-ball defender than junior Bryan Mullins of Downers Grove South.
Bob Sakamoto’s boys basketball Top 20
NO., TEAM REC
1. Homewood-Flossmoor 12-1
2. Hyde Park 7-0
3. Simeon 7-1
4. West Aurora 12-1
5. Brother Rice 12-0
6. Westinghouse 8-1
7. Rich Central 9-3
8. Julian 6-4
9. Thornton 11-1
10. St. Patrick 10-1
11. Von Steuben 5-3
12. Glenbrook North 10-3
13. Schaumburg 11-2
14. Hoffman Estates 11-1
15. Hillcrest 10-3
16. Curie 9-2
17. St. Ignatius 10-3
18. Prosser 11-1
19. Farragut 4-2
20. Hales Franciscan 11-3
Best of the rest:
Downers Grove South 11-2
Oak Park 10-2
Marist 12-1
Joliet 8-3
Bloom 9-4
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