By Craig Lynch –
The fifth annual boys basketball Hinsdale Central High School Holiday Classic will begin Wednesday, Dec. 26 in a 16-team field. The host Red Devils are struggling and have won only one game, but head coach Nick Lattore is excited to play.
“We look forward to playing on our home floor,” Lattore said. “This is a great chance to meet quality competition.”
Senior Matt Rush and Ryan Isaacson lead the Red Devils. “We lost Ryan Isaacson a couple of games ago (to injury) and that hurts,” Lattore said. Lattore said Oswego East is one of the best teams he has seen. Hinsdale Central will play its opening tournament game against Homewood-Flossmoor at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26.
Oswego East head coach Ryan Valazquez could take his team into the tournament with only one loss. They will open up against Westinghouse at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26. “They are a (Chicago) city team and they are finding their way,” said Valazquez.
Ray J Dennis, a 6-2 senior, leads Oswego East with an average of 22 points a game. Dennis has committed to Boise State University. Sam Schultz, a 6-7 junior, has been contributing for the Wolves. “Playing at Hinsdale should give us good tests,” said Valasquez. “We played at East Aurora (tournaments previously), but are looking forward to the challenge of the competition here.”
St. Charles East, 5-3, will open play at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26 against Stevenson. East head coach Pat Woods is aware of the Patriots. “Coach (Pat) Ambrose runs a great system and they have great tradition.
“We have played a schedule that should get us ready for March (tournaments),” Woods said. “This (Hinsdale Central) tournament will help us.”
Three returning seniors lead St. Charles East Saints: Nate Ortiz, a 6-3; Cody Mitchell, 6-4; and Mark Musial, 6-5. Musial holds the record for three-point shooting in the tournament.
Willowbrook will participate in its first Hinsdale Central tournament.
“We were playing at Glenbard West,” said head coach Chris Perkins. “I thought it was a chance for our team to face really good competition.”
The Warriors, members of the West Suburban Gold Conference, have a 5-1 record. They will play Richards in the opening round at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26.
The Warriors are led by a pair of guards, junior Eberett Stubblefied and senior Matas Masys.