Holiday hoops preview: No. 2 Lincoln girls could be on collision course with No. 1 Peoria
‘Tis the season.
Here are the top boys and girls basketball headlines to follow this holiday season around Springfield.
Boys high school holiday basketball schedule, results for the Springfield area
Springfield-area girls high school holiday basketball tournament schedules, results
Lincoln girls take aim at No. 1
The Lincoln girls basketball team will put its unbeaten record on the line in the Peoria Manual Holiday tournament beginning Wednesday, Dec. 27.
The Railsplitters, ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, won this particular tournament in 2021 before dominating the Dixon-KSB Holiday Classic last season. They face a tougher hurdle this year, to be sure.
Not only could Lincoln (13-0) meet a nascent Chatham Glenwood program in the semifinals on Thursday but also the No. 1-ranked team in 3A the following day for all the marbles — Peoria High. Lincoln and Peoria earned second and third place, respectively, in last year’s 3A state finals.
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In their previous meeting last season, Colorado State University commit Kloe Froebe led Lincoln with 28 points in a 48-41 victory over Peoria at Roy S. Anderson Gym. Lincoln prevailed over the Lions despite missing key guard Becca Heitzig due to injury.
Froebe and Peoria senior guard Aaliyah Guyton, who is committed to University of Iowa, just may be two of the best girls basketball players in the state.
Froebe set the school’s all-time scoring record this season and has more than 2,500 career points.
Lincoln is also set to visit Peoria on Saturday, Jan. 20.
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Meet the area’s defending holiday champions
The Petersburg PORTA/A-C Central girls basketball team captured last year’s Riverton Christmas Classic championship and returns nearly its entire roster.
That includes senior guard Jayce Privia and junior forward Carson Arthalony. Both were named to the SJ-R's all-area team last season.
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The Bluejays, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A, is the top seed in the Green Pool while Moweaqua Central A&M has the other No. 1 seed in the Red Pool. Deer Creek-Mackinaw, ranked No. 5 statewide in 2A, is the No. 2 seed in the Red Pool.
Central A&M and Dee-Mack square off on the second day of the tournament on Friday, Dec. 22.
The Jacksonville Routt boys basketball team won its first Waverly Holiday Tournament title since 1989 with a narrow 30-26 triumph over New Berlin in the championship game last season.
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It begins the first round as the No. 5 seed against No. 13 Pawnee on Tuesday, Dec. 26, led by sophomore Bryson Mossman.
Also on the boys side, Sacred Heart-Griffin won the State Farm Classic’s Large School bracket last season but heralds an entirely new starting lineup.
Litchfield also came away with the Carlinville Holiday Tournament title.
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Keenan Powell and AJ Odle both return for the Purple Panthers after reaching the all-tournament team in their last trip. Head coach Nick Gerndt, however, resigned last week for personal reasons, according to interim athletic director Mark Elvers on Monday. Daniell Bonnell, previously the freshman coach, earned his first win over Pana on Friday.
South County holds the No. 1 seed
South County, a coop between Franklin and Waverly, may be the biggest eyepopper in the area as the No. 1 seed in the Waverly Holiday Tournament.
The Vipers, led by seniors Trevor Colwell and Noah Lyons, are shooting for their first 20-win season since their formation in 2015-16. But just getting to the finale is no small task with No. 5 Routt and No. 3 Auburn potentially standing in the way.
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Auburn improved to 10-1 following a 64-52 nonconference win over previously unbeaten Calvary on Tuesday with four players reaching double figures, including a double-double from senior Grant Dobson (14 points and 11 rebounds).
The Waverly tournament is certainly up for grabs.
It also includes No. 2 New Berlin and No. 4 Winchester West Central – not to mention a gamut of top players among the area’s small schools such as New Berlin’s Gannon Dodd, Athens’ Pryor Reynolds and North Mac’s JT Alexander.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA basketball: 2023 holiday hoops preview for Springfield area teams
