PLANO – After a one year hiatus due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, it came as a shock to no one and was readily expected as the two-time defending champion Peoria Notre Dame Irish earned the No. 1 seed in the upcoming 58th annual Plano Christmas Classic.
The Irish established the top ranking after votes from 13 of the 16 team field’s head coaches and a trio of media representatives in attendance Thursday evening at Cedardell Golf Course in Plano.
PND will be looking to become only the second school in tournament history to win back-to-back-to-back tourney titles after defeating Ottawa in 2018 and Burlington Central in 2019. Only Seneca (2004-06) has been able to accomplish the feat previously under Hall-of-Fame coaches Doug Evans and Jeff Stenzel.
“This year’s (Plano Christmas Classic) field looks incredible with a bunch of competitive ballclubs and I couldn’t be happier to oversee what should be another great field of teams.”
— Plano athletic director and tournament manager Jim Schmidt
“Seneca is the only team that’s 3-peated ever at the Classic so now Peoria Notre Dame has a chance to equal that with a very good ballclub once again and that’s why they’re the No. 1 seed,” said Plano athletic director and tournament manager Jim Schmidt. “Seneca had a great run with four championships in five years including the three straight. Now we may see another school reach that amazing level and longevity of basketball if Peoria Notre Dame can do it again after taking a year off.”
The Irish (5-1) will return to Plano with a solid team worthy of the No. 1 seed.
“It is an honor to be the top team at such a great tournament and we didn’t really know whether we’d get a one, a two, or a three for that matter. But we know whatever our seed, we’re gonna have to play well in order to win a third straight championship. We’ll embrace the honor as No. 1 seed and hopefully we’ll be able to live up to it again.”
— Peoria Notre Dame boys basketball coach Tom Lacher
“It is an honor to be the top team at such a great tournament and we didn’t really know whether we’d get a one, a two, or a three for that matter,” said PND veteran coach Tom Lacher. “But we know whatever our seed, we’re gonna have to play well in order to win a third straight championship. We’ll embrace the honor as No. 1 seed and hopefully we’ll be able to live up to it again.”
Each of the top eight teams were seeded followed by picking first round opponents by blind draw.
The four-day tournament — which begins Monday, December 27 and finishes up Thursday, December 30 — will see the Irish take on unseeded local favorite Newark (3-5) in the last game of Day 1 at 8:30 p.m.
Before that No. 3-seeded Burlington Central (6-2) will begin the proceedings at 9 a.m. versus unseeded Coal City (1-6).
The Rockets won their only title at Plano in 2017 when they topped PND in the championship tilt.
“We’ve had some very fine teams that have played extremely well at Plano and I believe this ballclub can be very competitive in this year’s tournament.”
— Burlington Central boys basketball coach Brett Porto
“We’ve got every one back from a 16-1 team (in the spring season) and it’s one of the best group’s I’ve had since I’ve been here,” said BCHS coach Brett Porto. “We’ve had some very fine teams that have played extremely well at Plano and I believe this ballclub can be very competitive in this year’s tournament.”
Up next is Classic three-time winner and No. 6 seed Ottawa (2012, 2013, 2016) which will take a 5-2 record into it’s matchup versus unseeded Hinckley-Big Rock (6-4) at 10:30 a.m., followed by No. 7-ranked Morris (7-2) versus unseeded Lisle (4-3) at 12:30 p.m.
Highly touted No. 2-seed Yorkville Christian (6-5) – a top-rated team in many of the early Class 1A polls – will then play unseeded Sandwich (1-7) at 2 p.m.
The Mustangs have played an incredibly tough schedule so far this season against much bigger schools and have fared very well. They figure to be in the championship mix at the end.
“We’re excited to be a part of this and it’s the highest we’ve ever been seeded so we’ll take that honor and see how well we can perform at a great tournament.”
— Yorkville Christian boys basketball coach Aaron Sovern
“You can’t argue with the two-time defending champions being the No. 1 seed and we’re very happy to be No. 2,” said YCHS coach Aaron Sovern. “We’re excited to be a part of this and it’s the highest we’ve ever been seeded so we’ll take that honor and see how well we can perform at a great tournament,”
At 3:30 p.m. No. 8-seeded Streator (5-3) will take on unseeded Kaneland (4-3) before No. 4 Chicago Longwood battles unranked Mendota at 5:30 p.m.
Niles Northridge Prep (7-1), the No. 5 seed, will then will tussle with unseeded host Plano (2-4) at 7 p.m. before the defending champs end the opening day of the tourney that will see Schmidt take his final bow retiring as tournament director and Plano AD after 19 years leading the holiday staple.
“This will be the 19th year I’ve been the manager of this tournament and before that I was a worker who did almost everything and have been involved in this great event since I was in high school,” Schmidt said. “This year’s field looks incredible with a bunch of competitive ballclubs and I couldn’t be happier to oversee what should be another great field of teams. I’ve loved this the most about my job as Plano AD. I’m gonna miss it for sure. But it’s not like I’m going to disappear and heck maybe I’ll even take the controls on the clock next season? It’s been a great run for me that’s for sure.
“Here’s hoping for a great tournament after the year we missed.”