Boys Basketball notes: Newark first-year coach Kyle Anderson still holds vivid memories of past Plano Christmas Classics

When Kyle Anderson walks into the Plano gymnasium next week, memories will undoubtedly flow through his veins. They always do when he goes back to the Plano Christmas Classic.

Unfortunately, more bad than good – but definitely unforgettable.

Anderson, now Newark’s first-year head coach, still remembers the feeling, or lack thereof, at the free throw line in the final minute of a tie game in the 2010 Plano Christmas Classic championship game while a Norsemen senior.

“I couldn’t feel my body,” Anderson said. “The gym was just crazy. My arms, I couldn’t feel a thing. The crowd for that game was just amazing.”

Anderson, 12 years later, will be back for the 59th Plano Christmas Classic that tips off next Tuesday for the first time as a head coach. The Norsemen play Northridge Prep at 3:30 p.m. in a first-round game.

Anderson, Newark’s all-time leading scorer who went on to become a four-year college starter at Delaware, led the Norsemen to three consecutive sectional championships and the 2011 Class 1A state title.

But to this day Newark’s only loss in that magical 2010-2011 season, 48-44 to Rockford Christian in the Classic championship, still haunts him. Anderson made a tying layup in the final minute, but missed the ensuing free throw for the lead and Rockford Christian came down to hit a three.

“I think about it all the time,” he said. “I tell my kids, I would almost trade our state championship to win the Classic. I love the tournament. It’s a huge deal for me. Not a lot of great success at the tournament, but definitely a lot of memories – good ones, too.”

Anderson is among the greats who have starred at the Classic over the years, and the 59th edition does not appear to be lacking in star power in what shapes up as a balanced field with no clear favorite.

Top-seeded Burlington Central, who beat Peoria Notre Dame in overtime in last year’s final, is led by 6-foot-8 Belmont recruit Drew Scharnowski. Fourth-seeded Peoria Notre Dame’s star Cooper Koch, a 6-foot-7 Iowa commit and one of the state’s top five juniors, is back after missing the first six games due to a medical procedure. He scored 26 points in a 63-61 win over Yorkville Christian earlier this month.

Yorkville Christian, like Peoria Notre Dame, comes in with a record under .500, but features high-scoring senior guard David Douglas Jr., who scored a school-record tying 51 points in a game earlier this season. New entry and second-seeded Marmion features 6-foot-7 shot blocker Trevon Roots and senior guard Jabe Haith, third-seeded Kaneland a high-powered offense led by junior Troyer Carlson.

Then there is unseeded Sandwich, which already has eight wins after finishing 1-29 last season.

“I feel like the tournament is a little more balanced than in the past,” Anderson said. “Still a couple teams that have clearly separated themselves. It will be interesting.”

Newark has won the Classic four times, tied for most-ever, and made nine championship game appearances. But it’s been a work in progress for Anderson’s first group, which is 6-4 but has lost its last three games.

“I hope we have a good showing but at this point I just want to keep improving,” Anderson said. “We have a long way to go offensively. We are undersized and a shorter team, and we don’t shoot very well. Some games are ugly but they play extremely hard. We play very physical to make up for what we don’t have offensively.”

Yorkville looks to raise profile at Tosh

Yorkville is a newcomer at this year’s 32-team Jack Tosh Holiday Classic at York, but Foxes’ coach John Holakovsky should feel right at home at the event.

Prior to coming to Yorkville, Holakovsky was an assistant at Hinsdale South and Downers Grove South, which are also in the field in Elmhurst. Holakovsky holds the event now in its 48th year in high esteem.

“I love the tournament, how professional it’s run, two gyms side by side and I like the competition,” Holakovsky said. “Win or lose, you’re going to play a tough second game, no matter what.”

This year’s field is headlined by Rolling Meadows and Minnesota recruit Cameron Christie, undefeated Lyons and Pennsylvania commit Nik Polonowski, fellow unbeaten Lemont, Bolingbrook and St. Ignatius.

Holakovsky viewed the tournament as a good opportunity to raise the profile of 6-foot-9 Yorkville junior Jason Jakstys, a potential Division I prospect. But it could be a further showcase for the Foxes as a whole, off to a 9-2 start. Yorkville plays Nazareth in a first-round game at 3 p.m. Monday.

“A kid like Jason who wants to play D1, it’s probably the best tournament to get attention,” Holakovsky said. “I figured in general that was the best tournament for us to be in for that. I didn’t know how much better we would be.”

Oswego East set for return to Hinsdale

Oswego East is back at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic, after a memorable run there last season. The Wolves won one game in overtime and another in double overtime in the 2021 event, before losing to Homewood-Flossmoor in the final.

Oswego East this year draws Lincoln-Way Central in a first-round game that was postponed to Monday because of inclement weather. Should the Wolves win that one, they could get a tough second-round game with a one-loss Stevenson team. Marian Catholic and Hinsdale Central are among the other top teams at Hinsdale.

“You have to be ready to play every single game,” Oswego East coach Ryan Velasquez said. “We had to win an overtime game and double overtime game last year to get to the championship, it was crazy. Those games help you for later in the season and we’ve been in some tight games already.”

Velasquez is hopeful that the Wolves will be back at full strength next week.

Senior guard Bryce Shoto rolled his ankle in the latter stages of last Friday’s game at Plainfield North, and missed Oswego East’s loss to Curie the following day. Shoto has worked with the team trainer all week and on Thursday worked on the track with the trainer.

“Hopefully a couple days off of it, some much-needed rest and play it by ear let’s go,” Velasquez said.

Oswego heading south for holidays

Oswego coach Chad Pohlmann said he wasn’t necessarily looking to leave the Chuck Dayton Holiday Tournament in DeKalb – it was actually the perfect tournament for the Panthers.

But when the State Farm Holiday Classic contacted Pohlmann and extended an invitation, he felt it was an opportunity for his kids he couldn’t pass up.

“With all the stuff the last three years, guys losing out on so many things, we thought it would be fun to go overnight and stay down there,” Pohlmann said. “It’s a good time for us to go down there, be there for a couple days, bond and be together.”

Oswego, coming off a good win over Yorkville last Friday, is the No. 15 seed in the 16-team Large School bracket. The Panthers have a tough draw right off the bat with No. 2 seed Brother Rice, led by Niagara recruit Ahmad Henderson, in a Dec. 27 game in Bloomington. Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Rock Island and Wheaton Warrenville South round out the top four seeds.

“We have never shied away from scheduling tough teams and playing good competition,” Pohlmann said. “Our league has had several ranked teams already. It’s not like it’s anything new to us. We’re going to go down there and do our thing. Brother Rice is off to a good start, they play in arguably the toughest league in the state. It’s a good opportunity for us.”