2008 Schnucks Holiday Classic Tournament Preview

Walton High School of Marietta, GA is top seed for the 25th Annual Schnucks Holiday Classic. The Raiders feature two Atlantic Coast Conference signees. They are Glen Rice, Jr., son former NBA play Glen Rice, and Ryan Harrow. Rice a 6'5 senior has signed with Georgia Tech and Harrow a 6'0 junior has signed with North Carolina State. The Raiders are currently 6-3 with two losses in double overtime. Walton is averaging 80 points per game and has played games in Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina so far this year.
 

The Lincoln Railsplitters are the number two seed and come to Collinsville with a 7-1 record. The Railers feature 6'5 senior Kyle Young who averages 14.6 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game.  Jordan Nelson a 5'10 sophomore, Louie Schonauer a 6'3 senior, and Alex Anderson, 6'1 senior are three-point threats for Lincoln who is always dangerous from beyond the arc.
 

Fellow Central State Eight member Springfield Southeast is seeded No. 3. The Spartans claimed the consolation championship in the 2007 tournament and bring into this year’s tournament a 6-1 record. Senior guard Lawrence "LT" Thomas, 2006 all tournament team selection, leads the CS8 in scoring with 22 points per game and 20 three pointers this season. 6'4 junior Mike Chandler averages 13.8 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game. Southeast also features two top rebounders of the CS8 in Corbin Doss (8.8 rpg) and Brian McIntyre (7.8 rpg) Sean Crawford and Joe Carduff are shooting threats and for the Spartans.

The Althoff Crusaders finished fourth in the 2007 tournament and the No. 4 seed this year. The Crusaders are off to a hot start with a 5-1 record with wins over top teams in the metro east, Edwardsville, Cahokia, and Belleville West. Althoff includes 6'4 sophomore forward Carson Sonnenberg (11.7 points per game), 6'0 sophomore guard Devin Griffin (12.0 ppg). The Crusaders also have a duo of centers in 6'9 junior Joe Harms and 6'7 senior Will "Big Thunder" Lawson.

One of the hottest teams entering the tournament could be the Mount Zion Braves who have won 5 in a row since losing to Eisenhower in the Decatur Tournament, are currently 6-2. Caleb Long, the only returning All Tournament selection from 2007, and twin brother Colby Long and 6'3 senior Alex Birge lead the Braves.

The Eisenhower Panthers who won the 2007 tournament with Purdue's Lewis Jackson and Illinois State's Jeremy Robinson, coming in have lost three in a row losing close games to MacArthur, Mount Zion and Mount Vernon, are currently 3-5 overall. The Panthers feature plenty of talent in 6'9 senior center Brock Von Nordeck, 5'11 junior guard Drew Washington and 6'3 junior Jarod Oldham.
 

Madison enters the tournament with a 4-4 record. The Trojans a preseason favorite in Class A, have struggled to find their way under a new coach. 5'7 junior guard Kendall Echols, 6'5 junior center Eric Mason and 6'3 junior Xavier Williams led this team that could be dangerous if they put a complete game together.
 

Host team the Collinsville Kahoks have only one win so far this year. However the Kahoks could be looking to capitalize on some home cooking after playing seven of their first nine games of the season on the road. Leading the way for the Kahoks is 6'3 center Robbie Fernandez averaging 14.7 points per game 6.8 rebounds per game. 6'2 junior guard Austin Ash is averaging 12.7 ppg and has 18 three-pointers. Collinsville is looking for another score producer, Quinton Collins (6.0 ppg) and senior Erik Shannahan, a University of Arkansas baseball recruit, and sophomore Brady Hails round out the starting lineup. Top players off the bench for the Kahoks are Cade Osborn, Austin Hails, and all state football quarterback Jevon Hawkins.
 

Belleville East started the season 4-1 in the Alton Thanksgiving Tournament but has lost some momentum as they enter the Classic 5-4. Kevin Pettiford (12.4 ppg) and Clarence Goldthree (10.8 ppg) lead a balanced scoring attack for the Lancers. 

 
Along with Walton, Highland and Urbana are new additions to this year’s tournament. The Bulldogs are 5-5, their leading scorer is 6'4 junior center Brent Kuper averaging 18.3 points per game this season. The Urbana Tigers come in with a record of 2-5. Urbana previously participated in the Holiday Classic from 1992-1997.

Oakville is 4-1 so far this season.  The Tigers have a solid nucleus of scoring with four players averaging double digit scoring Keith Pickens (16.2 ppg), Josh Noblitt (15.4 ppg), Torraino Hellems (11.0 ppg), Javier Duren (10.0 ppg).
 

Rounding out the field are the Riverview Rams with a record of 4-4, the MacArthur Generals with also with a 4-4 record, the Glenwood Titans are 5-3 and the Granite City Warriors who are 1-9, their only win on the season was over Sumner in the Murphysboro Tournament.