Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

By Travis Wilson

WisHoops.net

Information from WisHoops.net Editor Mark Miller was included in this article



For many state hoops fans, the Holiday Tournament season is second only to the WIAA tournament in terms of excitement and ability to watch multiple high-level games in one location and in a short amount of time.



Over 50 Holiday Tournaments will take place between Decmeber 27th and December 30th. Some of the events are set up as "Classics" where you know ahead of time who and when you will play. Others are organized as true tournaments, where your second opponent is predicated upon how you do in your first contest.



For a full list of Holiday Tournaments and which teams are participating, visit our Tournament page here.



The biggest and in many people's opinions the best holiday tournament is the fifth annual Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout at the Al McGuire Center on the campus of Marquette University. The event is two days, December 27th and 28th, with two sessions each day and a total of 18 games. This year's field reads like a Who's Who of Wisconsin basketball. The top-ranked team in Division 1, Arrowhead, is represented as is Division 2's current #1 Northwestern. A total of ten teams ranked in the latest WSN Coaches Poll will be in attendance, with as many as a dozen or more players participating in this year's event potentially heading to Division 1 colleges. Also represented will be defending Division 2 state champion Wisconsin Lutheran and defending Division 3 state champion Racine St. Catherine's.



Among the top players participating will be Menomonee Falls sophomore J.P. Tokoto (pictured), who already has scholarship offers from Wisconsin, Marquette, Duke, and Kansas among others. It will also be a chance to see Milwaukee Pulaski senior Roy Marshall, the state's second-leading scorer at this point who has off the charts athleticism and a very good all-around game.



Top class of 2010 individuals set to take part include Donnie Hissa of Maple Northwestern; Ben Mills of Arrowhead; Steve McWhorter of Racine St. Catherine s; T.J. Bray and Derek Schell of Catholic Memorial; Matt Craggs and Dylan Wurtz of Kimberly; Jon Cathey-Macklin and Terry Taylor of Milwaukeee Washington; and Mikael Luter of Dominican.  

 

Top class of 2011 individuals include Quevyn Winters of Washington; Phil Romback and Cal Skogman of Seymour; Paul Jesperson of Merrill; Ben Stelzer of Manitowoc Roncalli; Charlie Fischer of Arrowhead; and Mitchell and Najee Farr of Racine Case.

 

Top class of 2012 individuals include J.P. Tokoto and C.J. Malone of Menomonee Falls; Antonio Mayfield of Washington; Larry Fitzgerald of Pius XI; and Jamall Taylor of Dominican.



Video highlights of the event will be available on WSN approximately one week after the event.



Here is the schedule of games for the 2009 WBY Shootout:

 

WBY Shootout

At Al McGuire Center

Sunday, December 27

Session One

8:30 a.m. – Roncalli vs. Milwaukee Pulaski

10 a.m. – Dominican vs. Merrill

11:30 a.m. – Northwestern vs. Racine Case

1 p.m. – St. Catherine s vs. Kettle Moraine Lutheran

2:30 p.m. – Seymour vs. Oconomowoc

Session Two

5 p.m. – Milwaukee Washington vs. Kimberly

6:30 p.m. – Wauwatosa East vs. Milwaukee Pius XI

8 p.m. – Arrowhead vs. Menomonee Falls

9:30 p.m. – Catholic Memorial vs. Wisconsin Lutheran

 

Monday, December 28

Session Three

8:30 a.m. – Merrill vs. Kettle Moraine Lutheran

10 a.m. – Dominican vs. Roncalli

11:30 a.m. – Seymour vs. Northwestern

1 p.m. – Pius XI vs. Milwaukee Pulaski

2:30 p.m. – Kimberly vs. Oconomowoc

Session Four

5 p.m. – St. Catherine s vs. Milwaukee Marquette

6:30 p.m. – Wauwatosa East vs. Milwaukee Washington

8 p.m. – Arrowhead vs. Wisconsin Lutheran

9:30 p.m. – Menomonee Falls vs. Catholic Memorial





One of the biggest events is the WBCA Holiday Classic held December 29th at the UW-Fieldhouse. The event features eight total games; three girls games and five boys games. On the boys side, perennial powerhouse Cuba City and the state's all-time winningest coach Jerry Petitgoue will take on a solid Adams-Friendship program. Sun Prairie is one of the surprises of the early season, having knocked off defending state champ Madison Memorial and will face DeForest. Madison Edgewood and Prairie du Chien are both coached by former players under Bo Ryan at UW-Platteville (Chris Zwettler and Andy Banasik), which should make for an entertaining game. In the final game of the day, Madison East and the high-scoring duo of Marquis Mason (UW football recruit) and Nimrod Hilliard will battle La Crosse Logan and potential Division 1 college player Trevor Jorgenson. Video highlights of the event will be available on WSN approximately one week after the event.



WBCA Classic Boys' Games

10:30 am -- Cuba City vs. Adams-Friendship

1:30 pm -- DeForest vs. Sun Prairie

3:00 pm -- Belleville vs. New Glarus

6:00 pm -- Madison Edgewood vs. Prairie du Chien

7:30 pm -- Madison East vs. La Crosse Logan



A new event this year appropriately drawing a lot of attention is the Big Rivers/Wisconsin Valley Challenge, set to take place December 29th and 30th at Chippewa Falls High School. Games begin at noon each day. Eau Claire North and UW recruit Evan Anderson (pictured) play at noon both days. Merrill junior Paul Jesperson already has several Division 1 scholarship offers, and his Bluejay team plays the second day against Hudson at 5:15 pm. Video highlights of the event will be available on WSN approximately one week after the event.



BIG RIVERS/WIS. VALLEY CHALLENGE

At Chippewa Falls High School



December 29, 2009

Noon -- Eau Claire North vs. D.C. Everest

1:45 p.m. -- E.C. Memorial vs. Wausau West

3:30 p.m. -- Hudson vs. Superior

5:15 p.m. -- Menomonie vs. Wausau West

7:00 p.m. -- Chippewa Falls vs. Marshfield



December 30, 2009

Noon -- Eau Claire North vs. Wausau West

1:45 p.m. -- E.C. Memorial vs. D.C. Everest

3:30 p.m. -- Superior vs. Marshfield

5:15 p.m. -- Hudson vs. Merrill

7:00 p.m. -- Chippewa Falls vs. Wausau East



The Shawano Sundrop Shootout will be held the 29th and 30th at the Kress Center on the campus of UW-Green Bay. A solid group of teams from the Fox Valley area and a bit farther away will be represented. This will be a great chance for many fans to check out the state's leading-scorer so far, Antigo's Jordan Mach. The 6-3 senior is averaging a state-best 30 points per contest. Also in attendance will be Whitefish Bay, who just knocked off the former #1 team in Division 2 Port Washington.



SHAWANO SUNDROP SHOOTOUT

At Kress Center (UW-Green Bay)



December 29, 2009

10:30 a.m. – Manitowoc vs. Appleton West

12:15 p.m. -- Pulaski vs. Antigo

2:00 p.m. -- Neenah vs. Sussex Hamilton

Session Two

5:30 p.m. – Benet Academy, Ill. vs. Fond du Lac

7:15 p.m. – Ashwaubenon vs. Whitefish Bay

9:00 p.m. – La Crosse Central vs. Shawano



December 30, 2009

10:30 a.m. – Benet Academy, Ill. vs. W. Bay

12:15 p.m. – Sussex Hamilton vs. Fond du Lac

2:00 p.m. – Antigo vs. La Crosse Central

Session Four

5:30 p.m. – Manitowoc vs. Shawano

7:15 p.m. – Pulaski vs. Appleton West

9:00 p.m. – Ashwaubenon vs. Neenah





For a full list of Holiday Tournaments and which teams are participating, visit our Tournament page here.