Coming off a 2015 event that survived a severe ice storm and short power outage on the first day of play, the State Farm Holiday Classic looks to sunnier days by announcing its 2016 tournament field.
The 38th annual State Farm Holiday Classic tips off Dec. 27-30 and boasts four teams who took home state trophies (including two state champs) and nine Elite Eight qualifiers, while 28 of the 64 teams won at least a Regional championship this past season.
“The State Farm Holiday Classic had another exceptional event in 2015 despite bad weather,” said Tournament President Dan Highland. “This year several new teams with great basketball traditions are welcomed, and tournament dates fall later in the week to make it more convenient for fans.”
Played across four venues in Bloomington-Normal, the Holiday Classic is one of the largest, coed high school holiday basketball tournaments in the nation. 2016 marks the 18th year with State Farm Insurance® as title sponsor. The tournament is divided into Small School and Large School brackets for both boys’ and girls’ teams, based on actual enrollment rather than IHSA classification.
Once again, the Holiday Classic will be considered as one of the most competitive girls’ tournaments in the state. Three teams – 3A state champion Morton, Chicago North Lawndale and Camp Point Central/Augusta Southeastern (CSE) – recently won state trophies.
In addition to CSE, the Small School girls’ bracket will feature 12 teams that won at least a regional championship. Brimfield, Bloomington Central Catholic, Peoria Christian and newcomer Danville Schlarman all won sectional titles, while regional winners Annawan, LeRoy, Kankakee Bishop McNamara, Champaign St. Thomas More, Rockford Lutheran, Fairbury Prairie Central and St. Joseph-Ogden highlight a field that welcomes perennial powerhouse Elmhurst IC Catholic for the first time.
The Lady Potters of Morton, fresh off their second consecutive Class 3A state championship, lead a loaded Large School girls’ bracket featuring 3A state runner-up Chicago North Lawndale. The two teams battled in an epic four-overtime game during last year’s Holiday Classic and met again in the state title game. Both teams return top players in 2016 to face a field that features regional winners Springfield, Rochester and Rock Island. Chicago St. Ignatius is the lone newcomer to this group as they return to the Holiday Classic for the first time since 2012.
The Small School boys’ bracket welcomes two new teams this year in sectional champ Aurora Christian and a young and talented Piasa Southwestern team. St. Joseph-Ogden, fresh off their Class 2A state championship, will lead a field that also includes regional champs Annawan, Quincy Notre Dame and Kankakee Bishop McNamara.
Joining the Large School boys’ bracket this year will be regional champs Metamora and Joliet Central. The Redbirds will be making their first appearance in the Holiday Classic, while the Steelmen of Joliet Central return for the first time since 1979. They are welcomed by four other regional winners in North Chicago, Mahomet-Seymour, Chicago North Lawndale and Rock Island. Three-time Small School tournament champion Rockford Lutheran moves up to the Large School bracket.
“Since 2009, the Holiday Classic has had 12 participating teams go on to win a state championship,” said Manager of Tournament Operations Dave Oloffson. “The experience teams receive in Bloomington-Normal over the holidays goes a long way in preparing them for the postseason.”
Off the court, the Classic Tournament, Inc. has raised nearly $100,000 for the Holiday Classic Scholarship fund, and has awarded $44,000 in scholarships to graduating student-athletes who participated in the tournament. The 2016 scholarship award winners will be announced later this month. In addition, the tournament has donated more than $30,000 the past six years to participating high school basketball programs in McLean County.
The State Farm Holiday Classic will again host the 15th Annual Ron Knisley Memorial Shootout in conjunction with the 64-team varsity tournament. The Shootout will feature various Special Olympics teams from across the Midwest, and has been expanded to a two-day event, running Dec. 29-30 at IWU’s Shirk Center.
For a complete list of the 64 participating teams, go to https://theclassic.org/team-list/, and follow the tournament (sfclassic) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
They Gave It Their Best Shot