By the time those holiday tournaments across the state tip off, there has been ample time to smooth out the wrinkles and work out the kinks. Crowds fill the gyms, the stakes are raised, pressure moments crop up and the brand of basketball at Christmas time evolves into something different than in the weeks leading up to it.
Here’s a look back at York’s Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament.
Biggest story: Rolling Meadows rolls to title
There weren’t exactly doubts creeping in regarding Rolling Meadows. But there has been a patient wait in validating their high ranking and status as an elite team.
The lone loss on the season came to New Trier in a weird one: a near-empty gym at the South Elgin Shootout, second leading scorer Tsvet Sotirov out with an injury, and New Trier’s Ian Brown going bonkers with an epic three-point barrage (12 of 14 from three).
The Mustangs entered York with a sparkling 11-1 record, but it was still a team that needed to go out and prove themselves with résumé-building wins.
Behind the play of star Cameron Christie, coach Kevin Katovich’s team more than impressed at York. Rolling Meadows, which had the most difficult road to a title of any top team at York, won five games in five days. That included wins over St. Patrick, Glenbrook South, Bolingbrook and Lyons –– all by double figures.
They were dominant. The Mustangs showed multiple ingredients for high-level success and showcased firepower beyond Christie, the Minnesota recruit.
The jack-of-all-trades, rugged Foster Ogbonna, remained a force in all the important facets beyond scoring. There is the elite shooting and floor spacing Sotirov provides. There is the matchup problem for opponents with skilled big man Mark Nikolich-Wilson.
And then there is the combination of endless length and size to go with outstanding perimeter shooting. Rolling Meadows made a whopping 49 three-pointers in the five wins, shooting an impressive 43 percent from beyond the arc, while starting five players who are 6-4, 6-6, 6-6, 6-7 and 6-8.
Biggest surprise: Lyons
Was it a shock Lyons played for a championship at York? No. The Lions were ranked and came into the tournament with a 7-0 record.
But each step of the way in reaching the title game at York, Lyons won over more and more fans. That included a lopsided semifinal win over top 10 team St. Ignatius.
The senior-dominated Lions play with cohesion. Coach Tom Sloan has a group that moves the ball and is openly unselfish in how it plays. Yes, there is talent –– 6-6 Niklas Polonowski is a Division I talent headed to Penn –– but it’s also a quintessential sum that is better than its parts team. That’s why the Lions will be a threat against any team it faces in the regular season and come state tournament time.
Polonowski, Jackson Niego, Connor Carroll and Graham Smith are all capable double-figure scorers.
Player of the tournament: Cameron Christie
There isn’t much the 6-6 guard from Rolling Meadows can’t do at the high school level. With his skill, size and versatility, Christie is as impactful as any player in the state. He showcased it all en route to a tournament MVP performance.
Christie averaged 26.4 points and 7.4 rebounds while making 21 three-pointers (47 percent from three) in tournament play.
Best prospect: Cameron Christie
Again, this is a no-brainer –– before the tournament was played and after it: Christie’s ceiling as a prospect in limitless.
Christie, who remains vastly underrated nationally, doesn’t just get “high school points.” He scores the ball in a way that translates to the next level. The mid-range, pull-up jumper is a thing of beauty and is one of the biggest weapons in high school basketball. He brings the versatility of playing on the ball as a point guard but one who can shoot the three and get to the rim and to the free-throw line.
What we learned
➤ The breakout performance in the tournament came from Palatine’s Connor May. The 6-5 junior was on a roll in the first two games, scoring 36 and 30 points. May ended up averaging 26.2 points in four tournament games and has put himself on the map with the stellar start to his junior year.
➤ Riverside-Brookfield big man Stefan Cicic is coming along. He’s become more comfortable in his new surroundings since transferring in from Notre Dame and is gaining confidence by the week. The 6-10 junior had his moments, scoring 24 points and dishing out four assists in one game while recording a double-double in another with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He added 22 points in a win over Palatine to close out tournament play.
➤ St. Laurence bounced back nicely from a lopsided loss to York in the first round. The Vikings are now 12-5 heading into the new year following a consolation championship.
When you consider the youth of this team, this type of success, no matter how you get it (four wins in a consolation bracket), should do wonders for a team loaded with sophomores. Led by sophomores Jacob Rice and Emmanuel Mosley, Jr., who averaged 15.4 and 12.8 points in the tournament, respectively, there is a strong foundation for coach Byron Burt.
➤ The host school, York, also had a sneaky solid tournament, improving its record to 8-8 with a 3-1 Jack Tosh record. It was yet another West Suburban Silver Conference team that enjoyed a successful holidays.
York beat St. Laurence, the eventual consolation champ, by 20 in the opening round. After losing to Bolingbrook by 10, the Dukes bounced back to beat both Conant and St. Patrick.
Keep an eye on junior guard AJ Levine. He was steady and consistent throughout tournament play while averaging 18.2 points.
Parting shot
This tournament continues to step up its game. The organization is top-notch, the promotion is excellent, and the hospitality is real. This has grown in a way where it’s easy to now say it’s one of the top two or three tournaments in state.
It’s not the fault of the tournament that it’s had two dominant teams –– Glenbard West last year, Rolling Meadows this year –– that have prevented any real drama from unfolding the past two years. But those teams have also had POY contenders for fans to enjoy.
The tournament continues to offer something different than any other tournament: the grind of having to win five games in five days. Winning five straight at any point in the season is never easy. Doing it on consecutive days with no practice and minimal prep? Impressive.
