While many high school students are enjoying the holiday break, others are participating in athletic tournaments.
The girls basketball teams at Fenwick, Oak Park and River Forest, and Trinity are looking to build or continue momentum over the break, and their respective holiday tournaments provide opportunities. Here’s where the Blazers, Friars, and Huskies will be playing:
Trinity (8-3)
Tournament: State Farm Holiday Classic, Bloomington-Normal
When: Dec. 26-28, Dec. 30
Opening Game: Taylorville, Dec. 26, 5 p.m.
Website: theclassic.org
The Blazers make their first appearance in one of the state’s long-running holiday tournaments with good momentum, having won four of their last five games.
“We feel good,” said Trinity coach Kim Coleman. “It’s going to expose us to a different environment. We’re playing teams we’ve never played before in all my time at Trinity. We’re just getting away from what we’re used to and we know we will be challenged in different ways we haven’t seen in the Chicago area.”
Coleman is pleased overall with how the season is going, and she cites the support shown as one major factor.
“I feel blessed to have amazing parents in my program,” she said. “They want to support the coaches whenever they can, and they want their girls to be supported so they can have the best possible experience. They treat every girl on the team as if they were their own, and that’s the way it should be.”
Coleman believes the State Farm Classic will help the Blazers prepare for the second half of the season, given the talent they’ll see.
“There’s a ton of talent in our area and downstate,” she said. “Why not capitalize off that and use it to get better as we work toward our ultimate goal?”
Fenwick (7-7)
Tournament: Komaromy Charger Classic, Dundee-Crown High School
When: Dec. 26-28, Dec. 30
Opening Game: Lake Forest, Dec. 26, 11:30 a.m.
Info/updates: on X at @dcgballtourney or @godchsathletics
Entering last year’s Komaromy Classic, Fenwick was winless. This year, the Friars are much improved, and coach Lenae Fergerson is looking forward to this week.
“I enjoy this tournament because it is a mix of different schools and classes,” she said.
Fenwick’s goals for Dundee-Crown are to learn from each game and make adjustments that will be helpful in the second half of the season.
“We use all games and this tournament as opportunities to compete and get better at things,” Fergerson said.
OPRF (1-9)
Tournament: Loyola Academy Christmas Tournament, Wilmette
When: Dec. 23, Dec. 26-28
Opening Game: Loyola Academy, Dec. 23 (after press time)
Info/updates: on X (@LAGirlsHoops); on Instagram (@lachristmastourney)
It’s a daunting task this week for the Huskies as they participate in the Loyola tournament for the second consecutive year. Their opener comes against the host Ramblers, the defending IHSA Class 4A state champs.
Nevertheless, OPRF coach Renee Brantley sees the tournament as an opportunity to learn and improve.
“I like this tournament because it’s a great mixture of teams from various areas and classes,” she said. “I’m excited to see how well we compete and grow as a team. I’m looking forward to us playing hard and players stepping up. Our goal is to get better as much as possible and take some momentum into the new year.”
