Tournament News

For a full list of tournament statistics, please visit: http://www.pwholidaytournament.com/documents/stats/2024/tourldrs.htm#tour.ind.

(Box Score) Warren held off a late rally from Lincoln Park to capture its second consecutive Proviso West Holiday Tournament championship with a 59-58 victory in a thrilling final on Saturday night.

Jaxon Davis led Warren (10-2) with 21 points, including a clutch 9-for-10 performance at the free-throw line. The sophomore guard’s free throws in the final minutes helped seal the win, despite a strong effort from Lincoln Park (13-3), which had led by as many as nine points in the third quarter.

The game was tightly contested throughout, with 10 lead changes and three ties. Lincoln Park had its best chance to pull away late in the third, when a pair of quick baskets from Ahmad Lee and Jaylen Dickerson helped the Lions build a 49-40 lead with 5:26 left in the period. However, Warren responded with a 9-0 run to regain the lead heading into the final quarter.

In a dramatic finish, Lincoln Park’s Chayse Turner, who scored 11 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, hit a jump shot with 2:11 remaining to give the Lions a two point lead. Jack Wolf answered with a three of his own on the following possession to give Warren the lead for good. Davis hit a critical three on the next Warren possession to push the lead to four, which was enough for Warren to hold off Lincoln Park.  

Dickerson, who finished with a game-high 22 points for Lincoln Park, had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but his three-point attempt missed as the buzzer sounded.

Warren shot 34% from the field, including 28.6% from three-point range, but took advantage of its free-throw opportunities, finishing 17-of-22 (77.3%) from the line. Lincoln Park, shooting 45.5% from the floor, was 14-of-23 from the free-throw line (60.9%).

Despite the narrow defeat, Lincoln Park’s performance was marked by strong individual efforts from Dickerson, who also contributed 2 assists and 2 steals, and Turner, who added 11 points and 8 rebounds. Keyshawn Barfield chipped in 5 points and 8 rebounds.

The game also featured balanced scoring for Warren, with Jack Wolf adding 8 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds. The team’s depth and composure in the closing minutes were crucial in securing the title.

With the victory, Warren extended its dominance in the tournament, winning its second straight championship after last year’s triumph. Lincoln Park, while disappointed, earned its second consecutive runner-up finish.

(Box Score) Proviso West earned a 75-61 victory over Crane in the third-place game of the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament, securing a solid finish after a strong second-half performance.

Proviso West (5-3) led wire-to-wire, never relinquishing its advantage after taking a 15-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Panthers extended their margin throughout the game, including a 20-point lead midway through the third period.

Junior forward Justin Bowen Jr. led Proviso West with a double-double performance, scoring 26 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Caleb Burgins added 20 points, and Machi Nelson chipped in 16 points, all while the team showcased its depth and offensive balance.

Crane (8-4) struggled with shooting accuracy, finishing the game at just 36.5% from the field and a cold 16.7% from beyond the arc. The Cougars were led by Trevon Hoskins, who scored 16 points, and William Hill, who added 11 points. However, despite a solid 14-point performance from Brad Blackman and some hustle on the defensive end, Crane could not close the gap, as they were outscored by 10 points in the paint and 24-14 on the fast break.

The game featured a slow start for both teams, with Crane failing to capitalize on early opportunities. Proviso West built its lead with consistent scoring, notably in the second half, when they shot 55.6% from the field in the fourth quarter to pull away.

The Panthers’ defensive pressure limited Crane’s chances for a comeback. Proviso West dominated in fast break points, 24-14 and secured 10 second-chance points compared to Crane’s six.

Proviso West held a 31:12 advantage in time spent leading, with Crane failing to lead for any portion of the game.

With the win, Proviso West secured third place in the prestigious holiday tournament. Crane, despite their valiant effort, finished in fourth.

(Box Score) - Whitney Young secured a decisive 64-53 victory over Proviso East in the fifth-place game of the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Saturday afternoon. The win marks a strong finish for Whitney Young, which led for nearly the entire game and never trailed in the contest.

Whitney Young (9-5) came out of the gate strong, taking a 10-5 lead after the first quarter. Despite a hard-fought second period by Proviso East, the Dolphins maintained control with a 22-16 halftime lead. Whitney Young's defense and efficient free-throw shooting proved to be key, as they capitalized on 31-of-34 free-throw attempts (91.2%) throughout the game, including a perfect 15-for-15 in the third quarter.

Antonio Munoz led Whitney Young with a standout performance, scoring 22 points and grabbing eight rebounds, while going an impressive 16-for-17 from the free-throw line. Damajay Richardson contributed 10 points and five assists in 32 minutes, while Alijah Little added 13 points and six rebounds.

For Proviso East (6-6), Jarret Smith was the team’s leading scorer with 13 points, including 5-of-8 shooting from the field. Ramsey Momon chipped in 14 points and three assists, but the Panthers struggled offensively, shooting just 35.0% from the field.

Whitney Young shot 36.4% from the field (16-44), with a dismal 6.3% from three-point range (1-16). However, their success at the charity stripe kept them in control, as they went 31-34 (91.2%) from the free-throw line.

Proviso East shot 35.0% from the field (21-60) and 26.7% from three-point range (4-15), but struggled to finish inside and could not keep pace with Whitney Young’s efficiency from the line.

Despite a solid second-half effort from Proviso East, which saw them close within 10 points in the final minutes, Whitney Young was able to hold on to their lead. The Dolphins led by as much as 17 points late in the fourth quarter, cruising to a comfortable victory.

Whitney Young led for 31:23 of the 32-minute contest, with Proviso East never holding a lead..

With the victory, Whitney Young finishes the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament in fifth place. Proviso East, despite a strong individual performance from Smith and Momon, will look to regroup as they enter the second half of their season.

[BOX SCORE] - Michele Clark defeated Southland, 76-58, on Saturday afternoon to capture the Consolation Championship in the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament at Proviso West High School.

Michele Clark (8-5) dominated the second half, outscoring Southland 48-30, with standout performances from Elijah Embrey, who recorded 16 points and 8 rebounds, and Geremy Johns, who added 17 points. Jeremiee George contributed a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Southland (7-4) was led by David Shaw, who scored a game-high 36 points, including 12-of-14 from the free throw line. Gabryel Patterson added 13 points. Southland was unable to keep pace with Michele Clark in the second half thanks, in part, to a 1-for-9 effort from beyond the arc.

The game was tightly contested early, with eight ties and four lead changes. Michele Clark took control in the third quarter, building a lead they extended to 19 points late in the fourth.

[Box Score] - The Marshall Commandoes stormed to a dominant 69-34 victory over Walther Christian Broncos on the final day of the Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Saturday afternoon. The win lifts Marshall’s record to 6-6, while Walther Christian falls to 3-7.

Marshall, led by a game-high 34 points from Darrin Laye, controlled the game from the opening tip, outscoring Walther Christian 18-6 in the first quarter. Laye also added 8 rebounds and was instrumental in the second half as Marshall extended its lead. The team’s overall shooting performance, 37.7% from the field, was boosted by their ability to capitalize on fast breaks, outscoring Walther Christian 25-4 in transition.

Walther Christian, which struggled with shooting throughout the game, finished with just 28.9% from the field. Nate Castillo was the only player to reach double digits for Walther Christian, scoring 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Branden Pettigrew added 9 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Marshall’s offensive firepower.

The game saw Marshall's defense create significant disruption, creating 43 points off turnovers compared to just 7 for Walther Christian. Marshall also dominated in the paint, outscoring Walther Christian 34-14 in that category.

Marshall’s offensive balance was on full display with contributions from several players. Jordan Scott scored 18 points, including a 1-of-7 effort from beyond the arc, while Mykhai Meeks added 10 points and 6 assists. The Thundering Herd also benefitted from a strong second-half performance, scoring 25 points in the third quarter alone.

Despite a promising start, Walther Christian could only manage 2 points in the fourth quarter as Marshall's defense stifled any attempt at a comeback.

Marshall led for 30:56 of the game, while Walther Christian held a brief advantage for only 31 seconds in the opening period. The largest lead of the game came with just over a minute remaining, when Marshall was up by 35 points.

The game was never tied, and the lead changed only three times in the first half.

[Box Score] – Zion-Benton used a strong fourth-quarter surge to pull past Longwood, 39-36, in a Proviso West Holiday Tournament matchup Thursday morning.

Longwood (1-10) led for much of the game, taking a 13-point advantage late in the second quarter. However, Zion-Benton (4-8) closed the game with a 18-7 run to secure the win.

The teams traded slim leads throughout the first three quarters, with Longwood holding a 29-21 advantage heading into the final period. But Zion-Benton turned up the intensity, outscoring Longwood 18-7 in the fourth to complete the comeback.

Zion-Benton was led by junior guard Maurice Thompson, who scored 12 points, including three three-pointers. Senior forward Rashad Love grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, contributing heavily on the glass despite struggling offensively with just one point.

Longwood’s top performer was senior forward Gholahan Abiola, who finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Abeeb Yusuf added 15 points, including three three-pointers, but it wasn't enough for the Panthers.

Longwood dominated inside, outscoring Zion-Benton 20-18 in points in the paint, and also had the edge in second-chance points (10-7). However, the visitors were more effective from the free-throw line, converting 10 of 15 attempts (66.7%), while Longwood shot just 7 of 18 (38.9%).

Zion-Benton's bench, led by Thompson’s 12 points, also played a pivotal role, contributing 18 points.

The game saw its lone lead change with just over two minutes remaining in the fourth, as Zion-Benton's Kenneth Alexander made a pair of free throws to give his team a 37-36 lead. The Zee-Bees held on for the victory as Longwood struggled to find scoring opportunities in the final moments.

(Box Score) - Jaxon Davis scored 20 points, leading a trio in double figures, as Warren Township (9-2) booked its spot in the championship game of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament with a 66-52 win over host Proviso West (4-3) on Friday evening in Hillside, Ill.

Buckets from Machi Nelson and Paul Willis put the upset-minded Panthers up three, 8-5, just past the midway point of the first quarter.  With the score knotted up at 10-10 following a Caleb Burgins layup, Warren Township caught fire, with a Zach Ausburn layup sparking a quarter-ending 12-0 run that saw the Blue Devils charge out to a 22-10 lead.

Jack Wolf knocked down a three with just over a minute gone in the second quarter to give Warren Township its largest lead of the first half, 30-15.  Proviso West continued to hang tough, as a Dartrell Smith trey cut the gap to seven, 32-25, as Warren Township ultimately took a 34-26 advantage into the halftime locker room.

Smith continued to force the issue early in the third quarter, driving inside and converting to bring Proviso West within six, 34-28.  Warren Township responded with another surge, rattling off nine unanswered, the last three of which came on a Davis triple that reestablished a 15-point lead, 45-30.  Owen Squires gave the Blue Devils their largest lead of the night, 54-37, following a trey at the 1:57 mark before an Alec Ford three cut Proviso West’s deficit to 54-40 at the end of the third quarter.

The Panthers looked to mount one final push in the fourth quarter, with a Nelson layup capping off a 6-0 spurt that made it a seven-point game, 56-49.  That proved be the end of any hopes of a Proviso West rally, as five straight points from Davis bumped the lead back into double digits as Warren Township cruised to the final horn.

Davis dazzled, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists.  Ausburn tore down 20 rebounds on the way to a double-double that also included 11 points, while Squires came off the bench to add 15 points.  Nelson paced Proviso West with 19 points, while Burgins notched a double-double of his own with 12 points and 11 rebounds.  

Warren will square off against Lincoln Park in the championship game of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament at 7 p.m. on Saturday night.  Proviso West will matchup with Crane in the third-place game at 5:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE - Lincoln Park leaned on a disruptive defensive performance to defeat Crane 57-51 in the Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Friday. The Lions forced Crane into 25 turnovers and turned those miscues into 27 points, proving to be the difference in a closely contested game.

Ahmad Lee led Lincoln Park (13-2) with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting and added six steals to anchor a defense that kept the Cougars (8-3) on their heels. Lincoln Park’s balanced scoring included 12 points from Jaylen Dickerson and eight points each from Kaydin Williams and Keyshawn Barfield.

The Lions built an early 18-12 first-quarter lead and never trailed, stretching their advantage to as many as 12 points in the third quarter. Crane battled back behind the efforts of Brad Blackman, who recorded a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds, but the Cougars couldn’t overcome their turnover woes.

Crane also received strong contributions from Jamier Montgomery, who scored 12 points, and William Hill, who added 11. Despite a dominant 38-30 rebounding advantage and 21 second-chance points, Crane’s struggles to maintain possession limited their offensive efficiency.

Lincoln Park’s fast-break game also played a key role, outscoring Crane 14-8 in transition. The Lions shot 58.3 percent from the free-throw line (14 of 24), compared to Crane’s 61.5 percent (8 of 13), but their ability to create extra possessions through turnovers was the decisive factor.

Crane managed to close the gap late, scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter, but Lincoln Park’s defense held firm in the final minute. The Lions sealed the win with a critical three-pointer from Kaydin Williams in the fourth quarter and timely free throws.

Lincoln Park improved to 13-2 on the season, while Crane fell to 8-3.

(Box Score) - Led by an 18-point effort from Alijah Little, Whitney Young (8-5) stayed alive in the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament, defeating Rockford Guilford (10-3), 63-47, on Friday evening in Hillside, Ill.

Rockford Guilford got on the board first just over 90 seconds in through a Ricky Woods Jr. triple that made it 3-0.  After an Antonio Munoz bucket tied the game at 7-7, Little connected from beyond the arc to give Whitney Young its first lead, 10-7.  A conventional three-point play from John Spellers put the Dolphins back in front, 15-14, ahead of a Zaire Green trey that staked Whitney Young to an 18-14 lead after one quarter of play.

Munoz provided a spark on the defensive end, coming up with a rejection only 14 seconds into the second frame that led to another Green three as the Whitney Young lead reached seven, 21-14.  Green finished on the break to stretch the gap to 27-16 before Rockford Guilford made a late push, closing the half on a 9-1 run capped off by a Branden Chatman buzzer-beater that brought the Vikings back within three, 28-25.

Whitney Young started fast in the third quarter and never looked back, opening the second half on a 13-1 tear, fueled by eight points from Little, as the lead ballooned to 41-26.  Chatman knocked down a three to cut the Vikings’ deficit to 44-34, but the Dolphins answered back with seven of the quarter’s final nine points to reestablish a 15-point lead, 51-36.

Rockford Guilford would get no closer than 14 the rest of the night, as Whitney Young advanced on.

Little wrapped up his night with a team-best 18 points, a total highlighted by four makes from beyond the arc.  Green and Munoz added 11 points apiece, while Damajay Richardson finished with 10 points and seven assists.  Chatman pumped in 24 points for Rockford Guilford, leading all scorers, in addition to grabbing 11 rebounds.

Whitney Young will meet Proviso East in the fifth-place game of the 63rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Saturday at 4 p.m.

(BOX SCORE)— Proviso East used a strong second half to edge Perspectives Leadership, 58-56, in a thrilling contest at the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Thursday afternoon. The game was a back-and-forth battle, with multiple lead changes and five ties, but Proviso East's late-game execution proved to be the difference.

The game started with both teams trading baskets, but Proviso East (6-5) took a slight 14-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. Perspectives Leadership (9-4) fought back in the second period, outscoring their opponents 16-12 to close the gap. However, Proviso East responded in the third, outscoring Perspectives 18-13, fueled by a 7-for-7 performance at the free-throw line.

The game remained tight in the fourth quarter, with Perspectives Leadership cutting the lead to just two points with 40 seconds left. However, Proviso East held on for the win behind clutch free throws and timely rebounds.

For Proviso East, junior guard Isaiah Pickens was a standout, finishing with 17 points, including four three-pointers. Senior Jerry Johnson contributed 15 points and six rebounds, while Evan Teague chipped in six points and a team-high six rebounds in just 20 minutes of action.

Perspectives Leadership was led by Phoenix Childs, who had an impressive 21-point, 5-rebound performance. Senior Liiban Debela also played well, contributing 11 points and five rebounds, while Derrick Dowdell Jr. grabbed seven boards and added three points.

Proviso East shot 46.3% from the field and 71.4% from the free-throw line (15-21), while Perspectives Leadership shot 32.3% from the field and 50.0% from the free-throw line (6-12).

The game was physical, with Proviso East dominating in the paint (28 points in the paint compared to 14 for Perspectives Leadership). However, Perspectives Leadership outperformed Proviso East in second-chance points (16-4).

The win moves Proviso East to 6-5 on the season and they will play for the fifth place trophy at the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Saturday at 4:00pm against the winner between Whitney Young and Rockford Guilford. Perspectives Leadership falls to 9-4.

BOX SCORE - Marquis Smith delivered in the clutch, draining a game-winning jumper with 10 seconds remaining to lift Clark to a 58-56 victory over Farragut in the Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Friday afternoon.

Smith’s shot capped a dramatic fourth quarter where Farragut erased a 16-point deficit, briefly taking a four-point lead with 2:33 left before Clark stormed back. The senior guard finished with seven points, four rebounds, and six assists, but his final basket was the most important.

Farragut’s Latrell Kelley poured in a game-high 33 points, keeping the Admirals in the game with two three-pointers and several key free throws. Despite Kelley’s heroics, Farragut couldn’t find an answer for Clark’s balanced attack, led by Geremy Johns with 17 points and 4 rebounds and Jeremiee George, who tallied a double-double with 14 points and 12 boards.

Clark (7-5) dominated inside, outscoring Farragut 40-28 in the paint, while their bench added 10 points compared to just one for Farragut. Farragut (3-9) struggled early, shooting just 21.4% in the first quarter, but found their rhythm in the second half to make it a contest.

The game featured three ties and four lead changes, with the largest swing coming in the final two minutes. Kelley’s layup with 20 seconds remaining even the score before Smith sealed the victory with his decisive jumper.

Clark advances to the consolation bracket championship against Southland at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28.

(Box Score) - Spurred on by standout showings form Gabryel Patterson and David Shaw, Southland (7-3) secured its spot in the consolation championship game of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament, defeating St. Francis de Sales (5-8) by a final score of 77-72 on Friday afternoon in Hillside, Ill.

St. Francis de Sales started fast, with a Kalvin Leonard trey highlighting a game-opening 6-0 run for Pioneers.  Following a Marcus Holliburton bucket that put St. Francis de Sales up by a count of 11-5, Southland closed the opening frame with a 6-0 run of its own, a spurt capped off by a Dion Harding Jr. jumper that knotted the score up at 11-11.

The Eagles looked to carry over momentum into the second quarter, holding St. Francis scoreless for nearly three minutes.  Shaw connected from beyond the three-point arc to give Southland its first lead of the afternoon, 14-11, as the Eagles went on to extend their run from the end of the first quarter to 13-0 en route to establishing an 18-11 edge.  After seeing the Pioneers go back in front, 19-18, through a 7-0 spurt, Southland raced into the locker room on a 10-0 tear, with a Derrick Garth fast break score giving the Eagles a 37-27 lead.

An aggressive take by Harding Jr. gave Southland its largest lead of the day, 45-34, with just over two minutes gone in the second half.  St. Francis de Sales refused to go away, taking off on a 10-0 run, punctuated by a Jacob Thompson three that tied it up at 49-49 at the 2:08 mark of the third quarter.  Shaw and Patterson both connected from distance inside the final two minutes of the frame, as the Cougars took a five-point lead, 57-52, into the fourth quarter.

Romance Atkins finished through contact on the way to a conventional three-point play that pushed the Southland lead back into double digits, 63-53, with 5:27 remaining in regulation.  Leonard looked to will the Pioneers back, hitting on his fourth triple of the day to trim the margin to 68-65.  Patterson and Harding Jr. countered with scores on Southland’s next two possessions, bumping the lead back up to seven, 72-65.  The Eagles went on to salt the game away from the free throw line and pick up their second win of the week.

Patterson pumped in 26 points to lead all scorers, while Shaw added 25 points as part of an impressive line that also included nine assists and seven rebounds.  Harding Jr. also reached double figures in scoring, finishing with 14 points, while Atkins ripped down a game-best 13 rebounds.  Leonard hit on four threes as part of a 22-point showing, leading a group of four players in double figures for St. Francis de Sales.  George put up a double-double for the Pioneers, closing his day with 13 points and 16 rebounds.

Southland will await the winner of the matchup featuring Michele Clark and Farragut in Saturday’s consolation championship at 2 p.m.

(Box Score) - Behind standout showings from Dartrell Smith, Machi Nelson, and Justin Bowen Jr., Proviso West (4-2) picked up a thrilling 67-65 win over Rockford Guilford (10-2) in the quarterfinals of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Thursday evening in Hillside, Ill.

The host Panthers looked to seize momentum from the onset, with buckets from Caleb Burgins and Bowen Jr., respectively, staking Proviso West to an early 4-0 lead.  Rockford Guilford answered back with a 15-2 run, capped off by a Jeremiah Ezeofor layup that gave the Vikings a 15-6 lead.  Nelson connected on a three in the closing minute to claw Proviso West back within six, 20-14, at the end of the first quarter.

After seeing the visitors lead balloon to 31-19 on a Je’Sean Frye layup just past the midway point of the second frame, Proviso West took off on a 7-0 run, highlighted by a Smith triple, to pull back within five, 31-26.  Bowen Jr. found himself back at the mix in the closing seconds, finishing on a fast break to again trim the margin to four, 33-29, at the intermission.

Buckets from Smith and Nelson to open the second half saw Proviso West erase its deficit and pull even at 33-33.  The Panthers took their first lead since the opening minutes with only 1:56 to play in the third quarter, as two Smith free throws put the hosts back on top, 42-40.  Smith buried one of his three triples on the night with only 48 seconds remaining to push the lead to 46-40, before a Wonyae Berry-Sneed layup at the other end of the floor cut Proviso West’s advantage to 46-42 heading to the final frame.

The Panthers seemingly had an answer for every Rockford Guilford push in the fourth quarter, as they never trailed across the final 10 minutes.  With Proviso West clinging to a 54-53 edge, Nelson dialed in from distance to reestablish a four-point margin, 57-53, with 3:56 to play.  Bowen Jr. finished with authority with only 31 seconds remaining, again pushing the Panthers’ lead to three, 66-63.  Following a split at the line by Bowen Jr. that made it a two-point ballgame, 67-65, the Vikings’ last-ditch heave went array as Proviso West secured safe passage into the semifinals.

Smith was outstanding, pouring in a game-high 21 points, in addition to eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals.  Nelson finished the night just behind him, putting up 20 points and five assists, while Bowen Jr. contributed 19 points and eight rebounds.  Branden Chatman paced Rockford Guilford with 17 points and seven rebounds.  He was joined in double figures in scoring by Jaden Webster (13 points) and Frye (11 points), with Webster also ripping down a game-best nine rebounds.

Proviso West will battle Warren Township in Friday’s second semifinal at 7 p.m., while Rockford Guilford is set to take on Whitney Young in consolation action at 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon.

(Box Score) Jaxon Davis delivered a standout performance, scoring a game-high 31 points as Warren defeated Whitney Young 70-54 on Thursday night in Game 15 of the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament.

Davis, a senior guard, shot 11-of-24 from the field and went 8-of-9 from the free-throw line, while adding nine rebounds and five assists. Jack Wolf chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds, and Zach Ausburn added nine points and seven boards for the Blue Devils (8-2), who led wire-to-wire and controlled the game on the glass. Warren outrebounded Whitney Young 42-27, including 17 offensive boards that led to 17 second-chance points.

Warren established an early lead, finishing the first quarter up 16-10 behind efficient inside scoring. Despite a late push by Whitney Young in the second quarter, Warren held a 31-24 halftime lead and maintained their composure throughout. A dominant fourth quarter, where they outscored Whitney Young 26-17, sealed the victory.

Whitney Young (7-5) struggled to find consistency on offense, shooting 38.3% from the field and just 31.8% from 3-point range. Antonio Munoz led the Dolphins with 19 points and nine rebounds. Damajay Richardson added 10 points, while Zaire Green and Gabe Aragon combined for 14 points off the bench.

The Dolphins were outscored 42-14 in the paint and failed to capitalize on turnovers, scoring just 11 points off Warren’s nine miscues. Warren, on the other hand, excelled in transition and on the boards, creating multiple second-chance opportunities to build their largest lead of 22 points late in the fourth quarter.

(Box Score) Lincoln Park overwhelmed Proviso East, commanding a 94-60 victory in Game 14 of the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Tuesday.

Senior guard Kaydin Williams starred for the Lions (12-2), pouring in 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including six 3-pointers. Forward Chayse Turner added 21 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while Ahmad Lee chipped in a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists, while also contributing seven rebounds. Lincoln Park’s offense was firing on all cylinders, shooting 64.3% from the field and 73.3% from beyond the arc.

The Lions raced out to a 24-13 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. A dominant second quarter, where they shot 83.3% from the field, extended their lead to 51-24 by halftime. The Lions were particularly effective in transition, racking up 27 fast-break points and capitalizing on Proviso East’s mistakes with 27 points off turnovers.

Proviso East (5-5) struggled to keep pace despite a strong effort from Isaiah Pickens, who scored 24 points and hit four 3-pointers. Jarret Smith and Jerry Johnson contributed nine points apiece, but the Pirates shot just 39.6% from the field and were undone by 20 turnovers and inconsistent free-throw shooting (54.2%).

The Pirates briefly showed life in the third quarter, outscoring Lincoln Park 26-20, but the Lions quickly regained control in the fourth. Lincoln Park’s depth was on full display, with bench players contributing 20 points. Jalil Amous led the reserves with nine points.

Lincoln Park’s largest lead of the game—34 points—came in the final minute. The Lions dominated nearly every statistical category, including points in the paint (48-20), second-chance points (16-6), and rebounding (37-23).

(Box Score) - Crane (8-2) held Perspectives Leadership Academy (9-3) to just under 31 percent from the field as it moved on to the semifinals of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament with a 53-45 victory this evening in Hillside, Ill.

The Cougars came out scorching from beyond the arc, hitting on three first-quarter triples.  William Hill opened the three-point barrage just before the midway point of the frame, drilling a trey that gave Crane a 7-3 edge.  Following a Lilban Debela layup that brought Perspectives back within two, 7-5, Crane closed the quarter on an 8-0 tear, a spurt highlighted by threes from Trevon Hoskins and Richieon Tolbert that gave the Cougars a 15-5 advantage.

Perspectives quickly turned the tide in the second quarter, taking off on a 10-1 run that saw it pull within one, 16-15, following a steal and score by Aiden Horton.  Crane responded with a run of its own, with buckets from Brad Blackman and Jamier Montgomery laying the foundation for an 11-0 surge that was capped off by a Blackman flush which sent the Cougars charging into halftime with a 27-15 lead.

The pairing of Debela and Phoenix Childs each knocked down a pair of threes across the opening 3:15 of the first half, as Perspectives quickly whittled Crane’s lead back down to six, 35-29.  A Debela fast break score brought the Warriors within four, 37-33, before Crane responded with six straight, the last two of which came on a Tolbert mid-range jumper that brought the lead back into double digits, 43-33.  Childs looked to spark Perspectives heading into the final frame, tipping in the rebound off a missed free throw to trim the Cougars’ lead to 43-36 at the end of the third quarter.

Childs brought Perspectives within four, 44-40, when he converted in traffic at the 6:20 mark.  Derrick Dowdell Jr. again cut the margin to four with 3:38 remaining, connecting on the Warriors’ eighth trey of the night to cut the Crane lead to 47-43.  Perspectives would get no closer the rest of the night, as Crane built its lead back up to as many as eight on the way to punching its ticket to the semifinals.

Crane was led by a trio of 13-point scorers in Blackman, Hoskins, and Montgomery.  Blackman was a force on the glass, ripping down 10 rebounds en route to a double-double.  Dowdell Jr. paced Perspectives with 15 points, while Debela (13 points) and Childs (12 points) also reached double figures in scoring.  Childs matched Blackman on the glass, coming away with 10 rebounds to secure a double-double of his own.

Crane will battle the winner of Thursday’s second quarterfinal-round tilt featuring Proviso East and Lincoln Park on Friday evening at 5:30 p.m.  Perspectives will take on the non-advancing team of the aforementioned matchup at 2 p.m. on Friday evening.

[Box Score] The Farragut Academy Admirals hung on for a 56-50 win over the Marshall Lions to advance to the semifinals of the consolation bracket of the 63rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Thursday afternoon.

The Admirals, paced by Timothy Stanton’s 19 points, overcame an eight-point, 32-24 halftime deficit, holding the Lions to just seven points in the third quarter in opening a 42-39 lead heading into the final period. In the final frame, Stanton scored eight points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field to carry the Admirals to victory.

For the game, Stanton shot 8-for-14 from the field, including 3-for-4 from three, as Farragut managed to convert at a 44-percent clip from behind the three-point arc.

The Lions were paced by Darrin Laye’s 13 points and game-high seven rebounds. 

Farragut will face Michele Clark in the consolation bracket semifinals on Friday at 12:30pm.

[Box Score] The Michele Clark Eagles never trailed in a 77-44 win over the Walther Christian Academy Broncos on day 2 of the 63rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament.

Elijah Embrey led four in double-figures for the Eagles, dropping in 19 points on 5-for-8 shooting while converting on nine of 16 attempts from the charity stripe. Anthony Brooks and Jamarion Raines dropped in 14 apiece while Geremy Johns added 11. Johns added a game-high ten rebounds for the double-double effort in the win.

As a team, Clark shot over 48% from the field and converted on 21 of 35 attempts from the free throw line.

For the Broncos, Branden Pettigrew dropped in a team-high ten points and pulled down nine rebounds.

Clark, 6-5 on the season, awaits the winner of the Farragut-Marshall game in the semifinals of the consolation bracket of the tournament. The semifinals will be played on Friday at 12:30pm.

(Box Score) - Led by a game-high 30 points from David Shaw, Southland (6-3) held off Longwood (1-9) by a final score of 59-47 on Thursday afternoon to advance on in the consolation side of the bracket at the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament in Hillside, Ill.

Offense came at premium for both sides in a first quarter that saw the two teams combine to shoot just 24 percent from the field and commit 17 turnovers.  David Shaw looked to ignite the Southland offense early, drilling a three just nine seconds in to put the Eagles in front, 3-0.  Back-to-back Abeeb Yusuf buckets, the second of which came at the 6:45 mark, staked Longwood to a 4-3 edge.  Southland responded with a 7-0 run, capped off by two Shaw makes at the charity stripe, as the Eagles held a 10-5 lead at the end of the frame.

Yusuf snapped an eight-minute drought without a make from the field for Longwood when he finished inside at the 6:45 mark of the second quarter to trim the margin to 12-7.  Baskets from Eli House and Jaylin Remmer, respectively, gave Southland its largest lead of the first half, 16-9, as the Cougars ultimately took a 20-12 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

Kahlil Leonard looked to provide a spark for Longwood coming out of the intermission, as his jumper at the 6:37 mark trimmed Southland’s lead to five, 20-15.  The Cougars answered back, with another Shaw triple stretching the gap to 27-17 just over a minute later.  Eljiah Foster rattled home Longwood’s first trey of the day to bring the margin back into single digits, 29-21, with 4:27 to go.  Shaw hit again from beyond the arc just past the midway point of the frame, pushing the lead to 32-21, but the Cougars refused to fold, closing back within five, 34-29, on an Yusuf jumper at the horn to close the third quarter.

Southland looked to hit the accelerator early in the fourth quarter.  Gabryel Patterson finished through contact on his way to completing an old-fashioned three-point play that capped off a personal 5-0 spurt as the Eagles’ lead jumped back to nine, 39-30.  Leonard responded with a pair of threes over a minute span, the second of which clawed the Cougars within five, 41-36, with 5:26 to play in regulation.  Yusuf and Foster continued to try to will Longwood back into it, scoring on consecutive trips to close the Cougars’ deficit to four, 44-40, before another Leonard basket made it a one-possession game, 47-45, at the 2:36 mark.  Longwood would get no closer the rest of the way, as Southland closed play on a 12-2 run that featured eight points from Shaw en route to a 59-47 win.

Shaw was outstanding, leading all scorers with 30 points, in addition to four rebounds and three steals.  Patterson added 10 points for Southland.  Longwood was paced by a trio in double figures that included Yusuf (16 points), Leonard (13 points) and Foster (11 points).  Gholahan Abiola wreaked havoc on the defensive end for the Cougars, racking up 10 blocks.

Southland advances on to battle St. Francis de Sales on Friday at 11 a.m., while Longwood wraps up its stay at the 63^rd Annual Proviso East Holiday Tournament on Saturday against Zion-Benton.

[Box Score] Kalvin Leonard scored a game-high 21 points as the St. Francis de Sales Pioneers topped the Zion-Benton Zee-Bees 61-33 in game nine of the 2024 Proviso West Holiday Tournament.

Trailing 4-3 with 6:21 to play in the first quarter, the Pioneers went on a 11-0 run that spanned just over two minutes and was capped by a Leonard steal and dunk to open a 14-4 lead and never looked back.

The Pioneers extended their lead throughout the second frame, out-scoring the Zee-Bees 19-9 in the quarter including an exclamation point from Leonard who knocked down a buzzer beater just inside of half court to end the first half, opening a 36-19 lead for St. Francis de Sales at the break.

Leonard finished the first half with 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting including a trio of three-point field goals.

In the second half, the Pioneers weathered a four-minute scoreless drought with the Zee-Bees scoring the first seven points of the half before St. Francis de Sales closed out the game on a 25-7 run.

 St. Francis de Sales shot over 52-percent from three for the game, going 10-for-19 from distance.

 Jacob Thompson finished with a double-double, posting 14 points and pulling down 15 rebounds in the winning effort for the Pioneers. Maurice Jackson, Jr. added 12 points for St. Francis while Jayden Young-Delk paced the Zee-Bees with seven points and six rebounds.

 The Pioneers will take on the winners of the Southland-Longwood matchup at 11:00am on Friday.

(Box Score) Paced by a double-double from Brad Blackman, Crane (7-2) defeated St. Francis de Sales (4-7) by a final score of 73-64 in the opening game of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Monday morning in Hillside, Ill.

Jamier Montgomery connected on a mid-range jumper just 17 seconds in to put the Crane on the board first, 2-0, in a first quarter where both teams struggled to gain separation. St. Francis de Sales took its first lead of the morning, 6-5, on a split at the line by Stephen George with just over two minutes gone.  Kavlin Leonard drilled a three in transition to push the Pioneers’ lead to four, 14-10, before a Trevon Hoskins free throw trimmed the St. Francis de Sales lead to 14-11 at the end of the first quarter.

Derrick Tharpe dialed in from distance to give the Pioneers their largest lead of the day, 23-15, at the 6:17 mark of the second quarter.  Jacob Thompson knocked down a trey of his own to bump the gap to seven, 30-23, but Crane continued to hang around, pulling back within three, 32-29, on a Blackman layup.  Marcus Holliburton finished inside in the closing seconds to send St. Francis de Sales into the locker room with a 34-29 edge.

With the Pioneers clinging to a 43-40 lead with three minutes to play in the third frame, Crane hit the accelerator, with another Hoskins three laying the foundation for a 9-0 Cougars’ run, a spurt punctuated by a Hoskins layup that put Crane up six, 49-43, with two minutes remaining.  Simond Chambliss stretched the margin to eight, 54-46, with a triple of his own as Crane ultimately held a 54-48 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

The Cougars seemingly had an answer for every push by the Pioneers across the final 10 minutes.  Following a three by Thompson that clawed St. Francis de Sales within two, 57-55, a pair of makes at the line by Montgomery and a jumper from Richieon Tolbert upped the gap back to six, 61-55.  An old-fashioned three-point play by George again cut the Crane lead to two, 65-63, with 3:26 to go.  That proved to be as close as St. Francis de Sales would get the rest of the way, as a Tolbert mid-range jumper sparked a game-ending 9-1 surge that propelled Crane to victory.

Blackman was a force at both ends of the floor, leading all scorers with 21 points to go along with 15 rebounds, seven blocks, and three steals.  Montgomery (14 points), Hoskins (12 points), and Chambliss (11 points) also reached double figures in scoring for Crane.  George led the way for St. Francis de Sales, finishing with 19 points, while matching Blackman on the glass with 15 rebounds

Crane advances on to the quarterfinals of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Thursday, December 26, where it will meet the winner of the matchup featuring Perspectives Leadership Academy and Zion-Benton at 4 p.m.  St. Francis de Sales will take on the non-advancing team of the aforementioned matchup at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday morning.

(Box Score) - Perspectives Leadership Academy (9-2) opened play on a 14-2 run and never looked back as it breezed past Zion-Benton (3-7) in the opening round of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament, 63-32, on Monday afternoon in Hillside, Ill.

Phoenix Childs got the Warriors off and running just over a minute in, hitting on one of his three first-half triples to put Perspectives Leadership in front, 3-0.  Following a Kenneth Alexander layup that trimmed the margin to 3-2, a driving score by Childs sparked an 11-0 run that saw the Warriors open up a 14-2 lead on a Tristan Howard fast break bucket with 2:52 to play.  Liiban Debela capped off the frame in style for Perspectives Leadership, knocking down a three as time expired to stretch the gap to 17-4.

Debela picked up right where he left off to begin the second quarter, connecting again from outside to push the margin to 20-4.  Andrew Mitchell looked to provide the Zee-Bees a spark, hitting on a jumper that trimmed the Perspectives Leadership to lead to 20-8 with 90 seconds gone.  That proved to be as close as Zion-Benton would get for the remainder of the half, with another Childs trey sending the Warriors into halftime with a commanding 40-17 lead.

Childs stayed red-hot from beyond the three-point arc coming out of the locker room, hitting on a pair of threes near the midway point of the third quarter, the second of which Perspectives Leadership’s advantage balloon to 53-19 with 3:25 remaining.  The Warriors cruised to the finish line from there, punching their ticket to Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Debela led the way for Perspectives Leadership, hitting on five of his nine tries from outside en route to leading all scorers with 19 points.  Childs knocked own five treys of his own on the way to adding 17 points for the Warriors, who held Zion-Benton to just XX percent shooting from the field.  Jayden Young-Delk paced the Zee-Bees with 10 points.

Perspectives Leadership Academy will take on Crane in the quarterfinals of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament at 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 26, while Zion-Benton will matchup against St. Francis de Sales in the day’s opening consolation-round tilt at 9:30 a.m.

 (Box Score) – Behind a balanced scoring attack, the Proviso East Pirates defeated the Southland Eagles 59-56 in the opening round of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Monday afternoon in Hillside, Ill.

Ramsey Momon (11), Isaiah Pickens (16), Marcellous Brown (10), and Jerry Johnson (12) all scored in double figures for the Pirates, who shot 42.6 percent (23-54) from the floor. Johnson also pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to notch a double-double. David Shaw led the Eagles with a game high 33 points on 12-28 shooting. He knocked down seven threes in the game.

Southland scored the opening five points of the contest, but an 11-0 run for Proviso East would get the Pirates off and running. Proviso East extended the lead to six on a layup by Damon Jones with 1:35 to go in the quarter. The Pirates kept building, extending the lead to ten on a layup by Anthony Anderson then to 13 before the quarter ended on a three by Jerry Johnson. Proviso East led 22-9 after the first quarter.

Southland clawed their way back early in the fourth, cutting the Pirate lead to 23-17 on a three by Shaunn Cooper Jr. Proviso East built the lead back out to 13, but five straight points to end the period by David Shaw cut the Proviso East lead to 30-22 at the half.

Proviso East came out on fire to begin the second half, going on a 6-0 run that was capped off by a Ramsey Mormon layup to extend the lead to 36-22. The Pirates held that lead throughout the period and led 46-33 at the end of three quarters.

Southand kept fighting in the fourth, going on a quick run midway through the quarter to pull back within 50-41 with 5:03 remaining. Shaw kept inching Southland closer, hitting a three with 13 seconds left to pull the Eagles back within three. He had a shot to tie the game at the buzzer, but it was off target, securing the 59-56 win for Proviso East.

Proviso East advances to the quarterfinals of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Thursday, December 26, where it will meet the winner of the matchup featuring Lincoln Park and CICS Longwood at 5:30pm. Southland will take on the non-advancing team at 11:00am.

 (Box Score) – Lincoln Park had eight different players score in a 67-29 victory over Longwood in the opening round of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Classic on Monday afternoon in Hillside, Ill.

Jaylen Dickerson (11), Ahmad Lee (12), Chayse Turner (16), and Larry Harris III (11) all scored in double figures for Lincoln Park. Lincoln Park shot 23-57 from the floor and made 20 free throws. Longwood was paced by Kahlil Leanard with 12 points on 6-12 shooting.

Keyshawn Barfield scored the opening points of the game for Lincoln Park and they were off to the races, building up a 10-2 lead over the first four minutes of the quarter.  Longwood cut the Lincoln Park lead to just four with 2:12 to go in the quarter, but Kaydin Williams was able to drain a jumper to give Lincoln Park a 14-8 lead after the opening ten minutes.

Lincoln Park continued their offensive dominance in the second quarter, building their lead to double figures under three minutes in. Lincoln Park kept their foot on the gas, extending their lead to 20 on a three point play from Lary Harris III. Harris III had 11 points on 4-5 shooting in the second quarter. Lincoln Park led 34-15 at the half.

Jaylen Dickerson extended the Lincoln Park lead to 30 in the third. The lead continued to balloon, reaching 41 on a Chayse Turner layup with 58 second to go in the third period. Lincoln Park led 61-20 at the end of three. 21 of their points in the quarter came off of Longwood turnovers.

Lincoln Park continued to cruise in the fourth, securing the 67-29 win.

Lincoln Park will take on Proviso East in the quarterfinals of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament at 5:30pm on Thursday, December 26, while Longwood will matchup against Southland on Thursday at 11:00am.

(Box Score) - Whitney Young (7-4) jumped out to an early double-digit lead and never looked back, cruising to a 60-42 win over Michele Clark (5-5) on Monday afternoon in the opening round of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament in Hillside, Ill.

Gabe Aragon got Whitney Young on the board first just over a minute in, connecting from beyond the three-point arc to make it 3-0.  Michele Clark responded with back-to-back buckets, with a Marquis Smith fast break score edging the Eagles in front, 4-3.  After going back on top, the Dolphins closed the opening frame with a flurry, rattling off the quarter’s final six points to take a 16-8 lead.

Whitney Young carried over momentum into the second quarter, with threes from Zaire Green and Damajay Richardson providing the bookends to a 16-0 Dolphins’ run that saw the lead balloon to 32-8 at the 4:07 mark.  Anthony Brooks converted in traffic to snap a near nine-minute drought without a make from the field for Michele Clark, trimming the Whitney Young lead to 32-11 with 2:35 remaining.  Richardson capped off the half with second bucket of the half in the closing seconds to send Whitney Young into halftime with a commanding 38-15 advantage.

After seeing Whitney Young’s lead grow to 46-20 in the middle stages of the third quarter, Michele Clark slowly chipped away, clawing back within 14 on a pair of separate occasions in the fourth quarter.  Following an Elijah Embrey layup that made it 53-39, Richardson answered back with a bucket at the other end of the floor to up the lead to 55-39 as the Dolphins ultimately coasted to the final horn.

Richardson led all scorers on the day with 19 points, while also dishing out a game-high six assists.  Alijah Little added 16 points and was a pest on the defensive end, recording three steals.  Antonio Munoz chipped in 12 points and ripped down 12 boards en route to a double-double.  Munoz also tallied three blocks.  Embrey put up 15 points to pace Michele Clark on the offensive end.

Whitney Young awaits the winner of the matchup between Warren Township and Walther Christian Academy in Thursday’s third quarterfinal at 7 p.m.  Michele Clark drops into the consolation side of the bracket, where it will face off against the non-advancing team in the Warren Township and Walther Christian Academy game at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoon

(Box Score) - Warren Township (7-2) jumped all over Walther Christian Academy (3-5) from the opening whistle on the way to an 88-27 victory on Monday evening in the first round of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament in Hillside, Ill.

After a Branden Pettigrew three gave the Broncos a brief 3-0 lead, Warren Township hit the accelerator, with a Jaxon Davis layup sparking a 16-0 Blue Devils’ run that included a pair of Jack Wolf treys.  Zach Ausburn provided the exclamation point on the surge, finishing with authority to give Warren Township a 16-3 lead at the 3:28 mark.  Davis added a pair of fast break buckets inside the final 90 seconds, the second of which staked the Blue Devils to a 20-7 edge at the end of the opening frame.

Another Davis score saw the Warren Township lead grow to 29-8 early on in the second quarter before two Wolf makes at the charity stripe pushed the gap to 42-12 with three minutes remaining.  The Blue Devils continued their barrage from outside, as threes in the closing minute from Javin Griffin and Jarren Glover, respectively, stretched the margin to 50-14 at halftime.

Griffin drove inside and converted with just over two minutes gone in the third quarter to push Warren Township’s lead to 56-16.  Ausburn attacked the offensive glass and finished to push the Blue Devils’ advantage to 68-18 at the 2:45 mark of the frame.  Warren Township continued to press ahead, lifting its lead above the 60-point plateau en route to a dominant victory.

Davis paced a quartet of Blue Devils to score in double figures with a game-high 18 points, in addition to dishing out a game-best six assists.  Ausburn added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Avonn King contributed 12 points and matched Ausburn on the glass, ripping down seven caroms.  Wolf knocked down a pair of threes as part of a 10-point showing.  Pettigrew finished with 10 points to lead Walther Christian, which was held to just under 30 percent shooting from the field and committed 31 turnovers.

Warren Township will take on Whitney Young at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening in the quarterfinals of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament.  Walther Christian Academy will turn its attention towards a tilt with Michele Clark on Thursday afternoon at 12:30 p.m.

(Box Score) - Led by a trio of players to score in double figures, Rockford Guilford (10-1) punched its ticket to the quarterfinals of the 63^rd Annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament, defeating Marshall (4-5) by a final count of 70-51 in an opening round matchup on Monday evening in Hillside, Ill.

Rockford Guilford jumped out in front early, taking a 5-0 lead following a transition three from Jaden Webster.  Back-to-back Darrin Laye treys sent Marshall on top for the first time, 6-5, with just over two minutes gone.  After a Mykhai Meeks layup trimmed Rockford Guilford’s lead to 13-11, the Vikings closed the first quarter on a 7-0 run, a spurt capped off by a Branden Chatman triple that stretched the gap to 20-11 after the opening eight minutes of play.

Chatman went right back to work in the second frame, finishing at the rim in the opening minute to push Rockford Guilford’s lead into double digits, 22-11.  The margin reached 17 just past the midway point of the quarter when Jeremiah Ezeofor finished in the paint to make it 31-14.  Laye looked to give the Commandos a boost heading into the intermission as he converted with time expiring to cut the Rockford Guilford lead to 38-23 at halftime.

Marshall continued to hang tough in the third quarter, pulling within 13 on three separate occasions, but was unable to move within striking distance as Rockford Guilford held a 56-37 advantage heading to the final frame.

Woods Jr. scored just 15 seconds into the fourth quarter, a bucket that stretched the Vikings’ lead to 58-37.  Marshall would get no closer than 19 the rest of the way, as Rockford Guilford secured safe passage into the quarterfinals.

Chatman finished with an impressive line of 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals to lead the way for Rockford Guilford.  Webster contributed 12 points, while Woods Jr. added 10 points of his own for the Vikings, who enjoyed a dominant 50-16 edge in points in the paint.  Laye dazzled for Marshall, connecting on four triples as he poured in a game-high 21 points.   

Rockford Guilford will meet the winner of Monday’s final opening round game between host Proviso West and Farragut on Thursday at 8:30 p.m.  Marshall is set to square off against the non-advancing team from the aforementioned opening round tilt at 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.

(Box Score) - For the first time since 2021, host Proviso West (3-2) finds itself with a date in the quarterfinal round of the Proviso West Holiday Tournament following a 67-40 win over Farragut (2-8) on Monday evening in the final opening round matchup of the 63^rd edition of the event in Hillside, Ill.

Alec Ford sent the hosts racing out of the gate, rattling off five quick points to stake Proviso West to a 5-0 lead with 5:33 to play.  Farragut closed within three, 7-4, on a DeAngelo Embry jumper at the 3:39 mark, but the Pirates scored seven of the frame’s final nine points, the last four of which came from Justin Bowen Jr., to take an eight-point lead, 14-6, at the end of the opening frame.

Proviso West didn’t skip a beat in the second quarter, taking off on a 12-0 run, punctuated by an old-fashioned three-point play from Machi Nelson that saw the lead balloon to 26-8 with 3:38 remaining.  Farragut refused to go away without a fight, as it rattled off nine unanswered points to pull within nine, 26-17, following a split at the charity stripe by Timothy Stanton.  Bowen Jr. capped off the half in style for the hosts when he crashed the offensive glass and scored as time expired to give Proviso West a 28-17 advantage at halftime.

After seeing Proviso West extend its lead back out to 17 on an Alec Ford layup that made it 34-17, Farragut again looked to battle back, trimming the deficit to 34-22 on a Latrell Kelley score.  With the margin sitting at 38-26, the Pirates effectively put the game out of reach as they closed the third quarter on a 12-2 tear, with Dartrell Smith’s layup with only 11 seconds to go stretching the gap to 48-28 at the end of the third quarter.

Farragut would get no closer than 20 during the fourth quarter, as Proviso West moved on to Thursday’s quarterfinal round.

Ford finished with a game-high 16 points to lead the way for Proviso West on the evening.  Bowen Jr. put together an impressive 12-point, 12-rebound showing, while Smith fell just shy of a double-double of his own, contributing 13 points and eight rebounds.  Embry (15 points) and Kelley (13 points) both scored in double figures for Farragut.

Proviso West will look to protect its home floor when it battles Rockford Guilford in Thursday’s fourth and final quarterfinal-round game at 8:30 p.m.  Farragut will look to respond against Marshall in consolation action at 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.