Boys basketball notes: Can Plano recreate its magic from 2023 at Christmas Classic?

Kyle Kee’s Plano basketball team had a historic run at their tournament last Christmas.

Can they recreate the magic?

Kee might have an entirely different group, but he isn’t holding anything past them. And why wouldn’t he, after last year’s Reapers made a stunning run as an unseeded team to the championship game of the Plano Christmas Classic, coming seconds short of winning it for the first time.

“I’m going to be doing the same exact thing as last year, which is the same as I do every year,” Kee said. “It’s a totally different team, but I wouldn’t put anything by these guys. We are going to play hard. Who knows what will happen.”

The 61st Plano Christmas Classic tips off Monday, Plano facing Streator in the seventh of eight first-round games. The tournament resumes Thursday and concludes with the championship next Saturday night.

Plano (5-4) does look a lot different this year. Taron McGowan and Amari Bryant are the only players on this season’s team that were part of the rotation last year. But the Reapers do appear to be playing their best basketball heading into Christmas. They have won four consecutive games since a 1-4 start, and on Tuesday rallied from 16 points down to knock off Ottawa, who is seeded third at the Classic.

Plano hosts tournament No. 1 seed and defending champ Kaneland in a nonconference game Friday.

“Feeling pretty good,” Kee said. “Beginning of the season was tough down in Ottawa, we took our lumps figuring some things out, simplifying stuff, figuring out what we can do. I think we are a dangerous team.”

Kaneland (7-1), whose only loss is to McHenry, looks like a big favorite at the tournament. Northridge Prep is seeded second, followed by Ottawa and tournament newcomer Lincoln-Way Central.

Lincoln-Way Central, which plays Newark in the final first-round game, is one of two tournament newcomers along with Gardner South Wilmington, replacing Burlington Central and Oregon.

The tournament tips off at 9 a.m. Monday with Sandwich facing Ottawa.

“Obviously I think Kaneland is a step above everybody; we get a look at them Friday,” Kee said. “Besides that Lincoln-Way Central is going to be a wild card, we’ve just seen highlights of them. Northridge Prep is always solid, they can beat anybody.

“I think anybody can go on a run. It’s how kids react, couple days after Christmas. If you get hot and put the ball in the basket anything can happen.”

Oswego East set for busy week

Oswego East had a conference game with Oswego on Tuesday rescheduled because of finals, which isn’t a bad thing.

The Wolves have quite a busy week ahead.

Oswego East (5-3) on Friday plays at Plainfield South (8-1), then turns around to play back-to-back state champion DePaul Prep (8-1) on Saturday at a shootout at Young.

“Our guys, they want to play the best competition; this gives us an opportunity to do that,” Oswego East coach Ryan Velasquez said. “Some people might think we’re crazy, but our kids want to play the best games.”

A good week of practice after rallying from down double digits at Yorkville has the Wolves on the upswing.

“This week was a get back week for us, guys getting used to playing 32 minutes,” Velasquez said. “We took one on the chin at Bolingbrook, bounced back on Friday. Nice to get back in the gym, felt [Wednesday’s practice] was a good learning day, fun weekend of basketball ahead.”

After four days off, Oswego East heads to the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic, where the Wolves play Maine South in a 9:30 a.m. game Thursday. Oswego East has fared well at the event. The Wolves took second in 2021 and 2022 and third in 2018 and 2023.

“There’s some good teams there. I love going there, we’ve had some success, won our fair share of games, I expect for us to be competitive again this year,” Velasquez said. “[Tournament organizer] Joe [Spagnola] goes a fantastic job treating everybody well, kids like it, kids have family in town can go watch them, it’s not a far drive.”

Yorkville’s familiarity with Jack Tosh foe

Yorkville doesn’t necessarily run in the same circles as its first-round opponent at next week’s Jack Tosh Holiday Classic – but there’s plenty of familiarity among the coaches.

Yorkville’s John Holakovsky and St. Francis head coach Erin Dwyer were previously both on the staff at Hinsdale South. Dwyer tried to get Holakovsky to come with him to St. Francis, and while Holakovsky opted not to go that route he has helped coach in a feeder program with Dwyer.

Yorkville and St. Francis played a nonconference game last season, the Spartans coming out on top.

“Close friends, talk to him all the time,” Holakovsky said. “We played them last year, they got the better of us, a lot of trash talk both ways. It will be interesting.”

This will be the third straight season Yorkville has competed at the 32-team Tosh hosted by York High School, going a combined 5-3 the last two years. Should the Foxes win their first game, they’d likely draw Rolling Meadows and Marquette recruit Ian Miletic in the second round.

Yorkville (5-3), which plays winless Plainfield Central Friday, is coming off a tough loss to Oswego East in which the Foxes led by double digits at halftime.

“We’re either young or inexperienced. Our seniors who are playing didn’t play much last year and we’re playing freshmen on juniors on varsity. We’re learning,” Holakovsky said. “That first half against Oswego East was the best first half we’ve palyed. Up 13, couldn’t hold on. That’s a loss that last year is a killer. This year is ‘Hey, we’ll learn from it.‘”