High school basketball: Michael O’Brien’s holiday tournament notebook

PONTIAC-Holiday tournaments are a big deal to Illinois high school basketball fans, but Pontiac residents take things to an entirely different level.

The east side of the gym, where Pontiac Holiday Tournament season ticket holders sit, was jam-packed for the first game of the event, a 9 a.m. matchup between Plainfield North and Bloom.

“That’s amazing to see,” Blazing Trojans senior Raeshom Harris said. “And it makes a big difference to have a crowd like that when you are trying to get energized for such an early game.”

Harris and his teammates flashed some tantalizing potential in the second half of their 68-47 win against the Tigers.

Harris led No. 15 Bloom (7-2) with 20 points and sophomore Elijah Lovemore, a transfer from St. Laurence, provided a huge spark off the bench with 14 points.

“Lovemore has been doing everything we asked and he’s getting more comfortable playing with this group,” Blazing Trojans coach Dante Maddox said. “We’ve been inconsistent this season and the biggest reason is not playing with chemistry. When we play together we can play with anybody.”

Pontiac first round

Benet 78, Oak Park-River Forest 56: The Redwings started a little slow but Patrick Walsh (15 points) and Sam Driscoll (18 points) provided a huge lift off the bench in the second quarter.

Read all about this one.

Lockport 58, Peoria Manual 56 OT: The Rams missd a turnaround three at the buzzer so the Porters are heading into the quarterfinals. Caden Schoolcraft scored 14 and Bryce Turner added 13. Geron Trapps scored 20 for Peoria Manual

Joliet West vs. Bloomington

New Trier vs. Warren

Curie vs. Danville

Simeon vs. St. Charles North

West Aurora vs. Pontiac

Hinsdale Central semifinals

Oswego East vs. DePaul Prep

Marian Catholic vs. Hinsdale Central

Proviso West semifinals

St. Rita vs. Young

Proviso East vs. Kenwood

Rich (Big Dipper) quarterfinals

Perspectives-Leadership vs. Parker

Hyde Park vs. Thornwood

De La Salle vs. Rich

Ag. Science vs. Hillcrest

Wheeling quarterfinals

Hampshire vs. Libertyville

Deerfield vs. Neuqua Valley

Prospect vs. Fremd

Notre Dame vs. Glenbrook North

York quarterfinals

St. Ignatius vs. Riverside-Brookfield

Palatine vs. Lyons

Glenbrook South vs. Rolling Meadows

Lemont vs. Bolingbrook

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