East St. Louis, Columbia, claim holiday tournament championships
The East St. Louis Flyers completed a week of domination as they defeated host Normandy 60-26 Saturday in the title game of the Normandy Holiday Basketball Tournament
The defending Class 3A state champion, East St. Louis (8-4) held Normandy to 10 first half points when it built a 37-10 lead.
Freshman Macaleab Rich scored 16 points to pace East St. Louis while Lashawn Johnson added 14. Jashawn Anderson and Jabril Olivaria added 10 points for the Flyers who enter the new year on a five-game winning streak.
Columbia wins own event
Jonah James scored 14 points and junior Jackson Holmes added a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds to help Columbia defeat Marquette 39-35 Saturday in the title game of the Columbia-Freeburg Tournament.
In improving to 8-4 for the season, Columbia led just 20-16 after three quarters then played the Explorers (10-4) even the rest of the way.
Freeburg defeated Civic Memorial 62-36 in the third place game while Lovejoy defeated Waterloo 62-44 in the fifth place game.
Collinsville moves into title game
Senior guards Ray’Sean Taylor and Cawhan Smith combined for 49 points as Collinsville (12-0) defeated Springfield Southeast in a semifinal game at the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic.
Springfield Southeast, which defeated Collinsville in the title game in each of the past two years, led 34-33 at halftime. But the Kahoks (12-0) took command with a 17-5 spurt in the third quarter.
The win lifts Collinsville into the title game on Monday at 7:30 p.m. against Mundelein (11-0) which defeated Lincoln in the first semifinal.
Taylor led Collinsville with 30 points while Smith added 19. A full slate of games is on tap Monday at Collinsville High School beginning at noon.
Belleville West places fifth at Centralia
Junior Tommie Williams scored 16 points and Greg Wells added 11 to lead the Belleville West Maroons past Romeoville 50-30 in the fifth place game at the Centralia Holiday Tournament
The two-time defending champions heading into tournament action, West (6-6) put an end to a 3-1 week by beating Mundelein Carmel 43-34 in its first game Saturday before beating Romeoville.
Evanston defeated Centralia 53-47 in the championship game. Alton placed fourth, losing to Chatham-Glenwoood 70-54 in the third place game.
Mater Dei, Nashville to meet at Mater Dei
Top-seed Nashville and second seed Mater Dei will meet for the title of the Mater Dei Christmas Tournament after both finished pool play with perfect records.
Nashville (11-2) defeated Central 48-30 in its only game Saturday while Mater Dei (11-3) defeated Mascoutah 55-36. The title game is set for Monday at 7:30 p.m.
Play at Mater Dei on Monday begins at noon when Highland plays Metro East Lutheran in the ninth place at noon. Wesclin will take on Red Bay, Ala. in the seventh place game at 1:30 p.m. and will be followed at 3 p.m. when Okawville plays Doss, Ky. in the fifth place game.
The third place game will pit Central taking on Mascoutah at 6 p.m.
Carlyle places fourth at Pinckneyville
The Carlyle Indians dropped a pair of games Saturday and placed fourth at the Pimckneyville Duster Thomas Classic.
Carlyle (5-7) lost to Pinckneyville (52-34) in the semifinals then dropped a 52-44 decision to Mount Carmel in the fourth place game.
