Crystal Lake South played stifling defense and ran away from Grayslake Central Thursday for a 64-30 win to claim its spot in the Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic championship game.

Johnsburg's Ashton Stern sank three 3s in the first quarter and sophomore Trey Toussaint added three more in the second. The Skyhawks made 11 3s in the first half alone and beat Prairie Ridge 70-49 to reach the consolation championship at Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic.

Congrats to all of the players who made Friday Night Drive's 2024 Team of the Year

Carson Trivellini led the way with 21 points and Crystal Lake South tallied 22 assists as the Gators advanced to the Hinkle Holiday Classic semifinals, plus more boys and girls basketball scores in Monday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Fremd put together a dominant display as it was successful in all facets of the game in a 77-55 win over Hampshire in opening-round play at the Hardwood.

Jacobs faces Barrington in a Hinkle Holiday Classic boys basketball game on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, at Jacobs High School in Algonquin.

With Northern Illinois dodging bullets all game long Saturday against Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the Huskies found some magic in their 28-20 double-overtime win—and used a little luck of the Irish, too.

Barrington's Oliver Gray scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the second half, and the Broncos pulled away from host Jacobs 67-44 on Day 2 of the Hinkle Holiday Classic.

NIU secured back-to-back bowl wins for the first time since 2010-11 with a thrilling 28-20 victory Saturday in double overtime against Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Woodstock girls wrestling finished runner-up at the Whip-Pur Women's Classic, Richmond-Burton boys wrestling won the Rus Erb Tournament, plus more wrestling, girls and boys basketball and girls bowling results in Saturday's Northwest Herald roundup.

Senior guard Ben Jurzak recently scored his 1,000th career point and his scoring continued Saturday as he helped Jacobs win its opening game in its own Hinkle Holiday Classic. Cary-Grove and Crystal Lake South also won.

Jared Russell's extra shooting this week paid off Friday night when the senior guard scored 24 points to lead Dundee-Crown to a 62-57 win over Wauconda.

Hampshire girls basketball earned an FVC win against Burlington Central, Harvard and Johnsburg opened the Richmond-Burton Christmas Tournament with wins, and more in Friday's Northwest Herald sports roundup.

Wauconda faces Dundee-Crown in a nonconference boys basketball on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville.

Woodstock sophomore Max Beard averaged 26.3 points a game in a 3-0 week for the Blue Streaks, including conference wins against Harvard and Marengo. Beard is the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.