Elite Classic will live up to its name
There are annual circle-the-date events each high school basketball season. The Chicago Elite Classic is one of them.
The same great basketball and wide range of highly ranked teams will highlight the eighth annual Classic, which is Dec. 6-7 at Wintrust Arena.
Dec. 6
New Trier vs. Lane: New Trier will be led by senior John Carragher and 6-5 junior Ian Burns. Lane returns just one starter, but he’s a good one — 6-4 Louis Perona — along with sixth man Eric Stemper.
Evanston vs. Notre Dame: A couple of ranked teams and a ton of junior talent. Notre Dame’s impressive junior group includes highly regarded Anthony Sayles, Troy D’Amico and Louis Lesmond, while Evanston is led by the 1-2 punch of juniors Blake Peters and Jaylin Gibson.
Fenwick vs. Oak Park: This rivalry has become one of the highlights of the Chicago Elite Classic. Fenwick’s Bryce Hopkins and Oak Park’s Isaiah Barnes are two of the top junior prospects in the state.
Dec. 7
After a pair of girls basketball games to start the day — Simeon vs. Homewood-Flossmoor and Phillips vs. Thornwood — a busy day wraps up with five boys games.
Kenwood vs. Lincoln Park:
Coach Justin Bowen takes over at Kenwood, where he’ll lean on explosive senior guard Roland McCoy. Lincoln Park returns senior big man Romelle Howard and the junior backcourt of Ismail Habib and Julio Montes from a team that won 23 games last year.
Bloom vs. Pace Academy (Atlanta): There will be some big expectations in Chicago Heights, thanks to an experienced roster loaded with Division I talent. Coach Dante Maddox’s team will be tested here. Pace Academy is led by highly regarded 6-6 guard Matthew Cleveland, who’s ranked among the top 35 players in the country in the Class of 2021.
Simeon vs. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore): The 1-2 punch of junior Ahamad Bynum and newcomer Jeremiah Williams, a talented transfer from St. Laurence, will lead another talented Simeon team. St. Frances is a powerhouse, winning 37 games a year ago and capturing the Baltimore Catholic League tournament and regularseason championships.
Young vs. Duncanville (Texas):
DJ Steward & Co. won’t be ducking anyone in the early part of the season. The Dolphins face a Duncanville team with four returning starters that’s expected to be among the top 25 in the country. Last year, Duncanville, which is riding a 25-game winning streak, won a Texas state championship. Its headliner is Micah Peavy, a 6-7 wing who’s ranked among the top 40 players in the country.
Morgan Park vs. Vashon (St. Louis): Seniors Adam Miller and Marcus Watson form arguably the state’s best backcourt. They’ll have their hands full with Missouri powerhouse Vashon, which returns to the Chicago Elite Classic. The defending state champions went 26-4 last season and return 6-6 Cam’Ron Fletcher, a top-50 talent who’s headed to Kentucky. Phillip Russell and 6-7 Kobe Clark are two seniors to keep an eye on.