The 34th annual installment of the State Farm Holiday Classic will boast 10 new teams to strengthen what is already considered one of the strongest tournament fields in the state.
One of the largest coed high school holiday tournaments in the nation tips off Dec. 26, 27, 28 & 29, and marks the 14th consecutive year with State Farm Insurance® as the title sponsor. The tournament will once again use four venues around Bloomington-Normal; the Illinois Wesleyan University Shirk Center, U.S. Cellular Coliseum, Normal Community High School and Normal West High School.
New additions to the large school boys’ field include three Chicago-area schools in Huntley, Plainfield South and Thornton Fractional North from Calumet City. Top individual players in this bracket include Normal U-High’s Keita Bates-Diop (No. 5 ranked sophomore in state by chicagohoops.com), and Huntley’s sophomore Amanze Egekeze (being recruited by a number of Big Ten teams).
The boys’ small school bracket will welcome Rockford Lutheran, who just finished third in the state in Class 2A, and local favorite Fairbury Prairie Central for the first time after the Hawks organized their own holiday tournament for the past 27 years. Champaign St. Thomas More will also be a new addition to this bracket that features a diverse field of the state’s perennial powerhouses, as well as one of the best sophomores in the state in Chicago Providence St. Mel’s Tevin King.
The girls’ side of the tournament will once again feature some of the best teams throughout Illinois. The small school field will feature some of the state’s best, such as Sectional champs Annawan, Pana and Champaign St. Thomas More, along with Regional champs El Paso-Gridley, Rock Falls and Fairbury Prairie Central who returns to the tournament for the first time since 2004.
The large school girls’ tournament is highlighted by third-place state finisher Springfield, Sectional champs Belvidere North and Morton, and newcomers Geneseo, Chicago Morgan Park and Chicago St. Ignatius. Traditional powers Peoria Richwoods, Champaign Centennial, Rock Island and Peoria Notre Dame will also return along with all five Bloomington-Normal intercity girls teams.
“In our 34 years, we have worked hard to build this event into one of the most competitive and hospitable tournaments a team can participate in throughout Illinois,” said Tournament Vice-President Dave Oloffson. “In addition to providing four games against some of the best teams our state has to offer, we try and create an unforgettable experience for each player, coach and fan that they will talk about for years to come.”
In addition, the Classic Tournament, Inc. (CTI) would like to announce the following:
Holiday Classic Scholarship Program: For the seventh consecutive year, for the Holiday Classic Scholarship Program awarded four graduating seniors with a $1,000 scholarship each. Recipients were announced in mid-April.
Grants to local basketball programs: Due to the great support of the local community and the turnout of fans to last year’s tournament, the CTI is in a position again to provide a $1,000 grant to each of the eight participating intercity basketball programs (Bloomington girls, Central Catholic boys, Central Catholic girls, Normal Community boys, Normal Community girls, Normal U-High boys, Normal U-High girls and Normal West girls).
Day 4 | 2011: Tournament Tidbits