The bright lights of a midseason, high-profile shootout are always going to include perennial powers. But the opportunity can be even sweeter for those up-and-coming teams who get the rare chance to play on a big stage and prove their worth.
The annual When Sides Collide event, run by the City/Suburban Hoops Report, has added a game to the lineup, going from four matchups to five. That has opened the doors for some new names, including Yorkville, Normal and a recharged Homewood-Flossmoor program.
“It’s really big for our program and this team,” said Yorkville coach John Holakovsky of playing in this year’s When Sides Collide. “It’s great to get our students out to a big event like this that’s sold out, like it is every year, and play in an atmosphere and intensity that we need to be ready for late February and early March.”
This will be Yorkville’s first chance to play in a high-profile event. The Foxes will face one of the state’s perennial powers, Young, in a game “that will generate a lot of hype” around Yorkville, Holakovsky said.
The Foxes return 10 juniors from last year’s 26-win team, including 6-10 Jason Jakstys, an Illinois commit.
“Our kids are fired up for this season,” Holakovsky said. “I keep seeing them in the halls and it’s, ‘Hey, coach, we have so many days left until day one.’ Our numbers in open gyms, at all three levels, have been really good. We definitely feel the excitement for this season with our players, kids in the school, teachers in the building, and it’s just because we do have so many kids coming back.
“We want to keep all this momentum going for the program.”
Here are the matchups for the Jan. 20 When Sides Collide Shootout at Benet.
DePaul Prep vs. Normal
The defending Class 2A champs return the bulk of its team as DePaul moves up a class to 3A this season. Normal is a Class 4A state title contender and heads to the Chicago area with enormous size, length and Division I prospects, including 6-10 Wright State commit Jaheem Webber.
Homewood-Flossmoor vs. Downers Grove North
The catalyst from last year’s dream season, Jack Stanton, returns for Downers Grove North and is one of the state’s top players. Homewood-Flossmoor is loaded with an emerging point guard, junior JD Tyler, and talented transfer Bryce Heard.
Young vs. Yorkville
Illinois recruit Jason Jakstys headlines a Yorkville team that returns several key players from a team that won 26 games a year ago. Young is again talented but inexperienced with several of the state’s top young players, including junior Antonio Munoz and sophomore Marquis Clark.
Kenwood vs. Mount Carmel
Might this be the Public League’s best squaring off with the Catholic League’s best? Mount Carmel’s Angelo Ciaravino, who is headed to Northwestern, and the Kenwood trio of 6-11 Jaden Smith, Chris Riddle and Calvin Robins are a few of the top seniors in the state.
Thornton vs. Benet
A senior-dominated Thornton, infused by four talented transfers and led by the state’s best senior, Morez Johnson, will likely be a preseason top-five team. The Wildcats will head into a raucous gym and face a young but ranked Benet team featuring Gabe Sularski, the state’s top-ranked sophomore prospect.
