While it’s the season for presents, carols and Christmas movies, it’s also the season for holiday basketball tournaments.

Area basketball fans have had some holiday hoops already, with the Mendota boys winning the Colmone Classic at Hall and La Salle-Peru, Princeton and Fieldcrest girls competing in the Ottawa Holiday Tournament.

But there will be a whole lot more tournaments this week.

BOYS

La Salle-Peru and Mendota are heading to the 62nd annual Plano Christmas Classic, which is Dec. 26-30. The Cavaliers are the No. 4 seed and will play Bremen in the opener, and the Trojans are the No. 7 seed and will face Hinckley-Big Rock in the first round. L-P could face rival Ottawa, the No. 5 seed, in the second round. Kaneland is the No. 1 seed and the defending champion.

St. Bede and Henry-Senachwine are traveling to one of the oldest tournaments in the state, playing in the 97th annual Princeville Holiday Tournament on Dec. 26-29. The Bruins are the No. 4 seed and play the host Princes, the No. 5 seed, in the first round, while the No. 7 Mallards will play No. 2 Elmwood. Princeville won last year’s tournament.

The second annual Shipyard Showdown at Seneca on Dec. 23 and Dec. 26-27, formerly the Marseilles Holiday Tournament (2009-21) and Marquette Christmas Tournament (2022-23), will feature Hall, DePue and Earlville. The No. 2-seeded Red Devils will play the Little Giants in the first round. Earlville will play No. 1 Lexington, the defending champions.

LaMoille is welcoming seven schools to its LaMoille Holiday Classic on Dec. 29-30, including Putnam County. The host Lions are the No. 8 seed and open against No. 1 Galva, the defending champion, while the Panthers are the No. 6 seed and play No. 3 Leland in their first game.

Princeton is heading to the Mike Hutchins Holiday Classic at Sherrard from Dec. 27-30. The No. 6-seeded Tigers open against No. 3 Peoria Notre Dame. Sherrard is the defending champion.

Fieldcrest will again play in the State Farm Holiday Classic in Bloomington and Normal from Dec. 26-30, opening against Eastland. Pecatonica won the boys’ small school bracket last season.

GIRLS

St. Bede is hosting its annual Lady Bruins Christmas Classic with a different look this year. The tournament is Dec. 26-27 and will not feature pool play followed by crossover games as it has in years past. The field has seven teams, including Putnam County. The Bruins, who won the tournament last year, play Orion and IVC on the first day and face Brimfield and Sandwich on Day 2. The Panthers will play Brimfield, Orion, IVC and Sandwich during the tournament.

Hall and Bureau Valley will compete in the Warkins Memorial Classic at Prophetstown. The Red Devils are in a pool with Wethersfield and Rockridge, while the Storm are in a pool with Erie-Prophetstown and Morrison. Pool play is Dec. 27 with crossover rounds Dec. 29-30. Monmouth-Roseville won the title last year.

Earlville is also hosting a tournament Dec. 26-27. The eight-team field includes the Red Raiders, Mendota and Henry-Senachwine, the defending champions. In the quarterfinals, Earlville plays Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, the Trojans face Hinckley-Big Rock and the Mallards play Somonauk.