February 08, 2025
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Boys basketball: Defending champion Burlington Central earns top seed at Plano Christmas Classic

By Bill Lidinsky
Burlington Central's Gavin Sarvis (2) drives to the basket against Peoria Notre Dame during the 2021 Plano Christmas Classic championship game.

Burlington Central's Gavin Sarvis (2) drives to the basket against Peoria Notre Dame during the 2021 Plano Christmas Classic championship game. (Sean King for Shaw Local)

PLANO – Last year’s epic basketball battle in the championship game of the Plano Christmas Classic saw Burlington Central outlast Peoria Notre Dame by two points in overtime to win its third title.

The Rockets will be looking to be join Newark and Seneca as only the third school to ever win The Classic four times throughout the storied 59-year run of the event that starts Dec. 27 and continues until championship night Dec. 30.

BC (6-2) garnered the top seed after votes from the coaches in the 16-team field Wednesday evening at Cedardell Golf Course in Plano.

The Rockets will open the tournament against unseeded Coal City (3-5) in the last game of Day 1 at 8:30 p.m.

“With all this history of this event, to win it four times like Newark and Seneca did would be some cool company to be a part of,” BC coach Brett Porto said. “We respect the venue and the tournament, and it’s a real big deal for all the players and teams. So we’re very excited to come back to Plano again and hopefully play well.”

The tournament will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, when No. 3 seed Kaneland (8-1) will take on unseeded Mendota (4-5). The Knights will be seeking their fourth title at Plano as well.

“Our first game will be bright and early, and we’ll be ready and excited to get the tournament started,” Kaneland coach Ernie Colombe said. “It brings a lot of new challenges and opportunities to see how we need to improve moving forward as we go into the new year. We want to compete at the highest level at Plano.”

Game 2 will feature No. 6 seed Yorkville Christian (2-8) vs. unseeded Sandwich (5-4) at 10:30 a.m. Despite only two wins, the Mustangs have played an incredibly challenging schedule to start the season, while the Indians have impressed after a one-win season last year.

Three-time champion Ottawa (4-4) checked in with the No. 7 seed and will face off against unseeded Lisle (3-3) in Game 3 at 12:30 p.m., followed by No. 2 seed Marmion (6-3) vs. unseeded Morris (2-6) at 2 p.m. The Cadets are coached by former Indian Creek bench boss Joe Piekarz, who will try to help Marmion win its first Classic title since back-to-back championships way back in 1974 and 1975. The Cadets are the lone new entry from last year’s field.

“We are so excited to be in the Plano tournament, and I know after being in the tournament when I was at Indian Creek that our guys will love the experience of competing at such a special event,” Piekarz said. “We play in one of the toughest conferences in the state, so I think we’ll be prepared to take on all the great teams The Classic will have to offer us.”

Game 5 will pit No. 5 seed Niles Northridge Prep (5-4), led by legendary coach Will Rey, against local favorite and unseeded Newark (6-2) and first-year leader Kyle Anderson, who is the Norsemen’s all-time leading scorer and a legendary Classic player. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Up next will be Game 6 at 5:30 p.m. where No. 8 Streator (5-4) will battle unseeded Hinckley-Big Rock (8-2), another three-time winner of the event.

Two-time Classic victor and No. 4 seed Peoria Notre Dame (2-6) will try to reach its fifth consecutive championship contest at Plano when it starts the tournament in Game 7 at 7 p.m. against the unseeded host Reapers (2-6).

“We’re honored with getting another top seed at Plano despite our early record,” PND coach Tom Lacher said. “We play a tough schedule, and I think a lot of the coaches here tonight know that and how we’ve competed so well in the years past. We’re getting whole now off some tough injuries, so I think we’ll be ready to go in a couple of weeks.”

This year, the tournament will see a first: a 35-second shot clock, cleared by the IHSA on a trial basis.

First-year Plano athletic director and Classic director Steve Lucas – who took over for longtime tournament guru Jim Schmidt – is interested in how teams will deal with the new challenge.

“It’s definitely something that will change the landscape of the tournament, for sure,” Lucas said. “But I’m looking forward to it, and hopefully everybody can adapt so we all realize another tremendous year at The Classic.”