High School Confidential

11th Annual Meijer “H. S. Hoops Showdown” Announced

in Hoops Showdown

The Integrity Group confirmed the pairings for next season’s Meijer “High School Hoops Showdown”, which will introduce exciting changes in both format and content. The nationally known event, which has averaged close to 6,000 fans, will return to the new Sears Centre Arena, in Hoffman Estates, and go from a double-header to a triple-header that will also feature a top Girls game. The event is scheduled for Saturday, January 19, 2008.

The Girls kick off the action in Game 1 (4:30 tip-off) with Gurnee-Warren taking on Defending State Champion, Oak Park-Fenwick. The “Blue Devils” (28-4), return two starters and four of their top seven from a Sweet-16 team that will be ranked in every Pre-Season Top-10 poll. They feature Sarah Boothe (6-5, C - Stanford), the #1 rated senior in the state. The “Friars” (36-2) will re-load with a talented group of returning players led by Tricia Liston (6-1, G/F), who along with recent transfer Katlyn Payne (5-10, G, from Elgin-St. Edward), will be two of the top Sophomores in Illinois.

In Game 2 (6:30 tip-off) it’s the Boys, as Algonquin-Jacobs (26-2) takes on Oak Park-Fenwick (16-10). The “Golden Eagles” return four of their five starters and six of their top seven. They are led by Sr. John Moran (6-0, PG - Northern Iowa). The “Friars”, who have never met Jacobs, are expected to be much improved. They return three starters, several key reserves, and are led by Jr. Xavier Humphrey (6-4, SG/SF), one of the top-rated players in the class of 2009.

Game 3 (8:30 tip-off) will feature another first as Batavia (23-3) meets Chicago-Marshall (26-7). Both teams return four of their five starters and feature several of the top-rated players in the state. The “Bulldogs” figure to be #1 in the Western Suburbs and will be lead by Sr. Nick Fruendt (6-5, G/F - Northwestern). The “Commandos”, led by Sr. Ryan Hare (6-4, SF), will shoot for a third straight trip downstate and project as one of the Top-3 teams in the state’s pre-season polls.

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