GIRLS SATURDAY HOLIDAY HOOPS REPORT

Joliet, Illinois is known as "The City of Champions" and has been for a number of IHSA boys and girls sports state championships over the years. On Saturday, although not state championships, the girls of Joliet Central and Joliet West brought back prestigious girls holiday tournament championships at Oswego East and Sandburg.

Joliet Central coach Laura Brumfiel's Steelmen (14-3) slipped past Oswego 50-49 to take home the Oswego East Holiday Tournament Championship. Led by All-Tournament Selections Jalysa Stokes and A'llasha Alexander, the championship game victory over Oswego (10-6) was the Steelmen's 11th consecutive victory.

For Joliet West coach John Placher, led by All-Tournamnet selections, freshman Lisa Thompson, senior Jazzpher Evans and sophomore Grace Walsh, his Tigers rolled past tournament host Sandburg 50-40 in Saturday's Sandburg Holiday Tournament championship game in Orland Park.

The win over Sandburg (12-3) was the eighth consecutive win for the 13-3 Tigers. Their last loss was back on Dec. 9, at 'The Old Barn" to Joliet Central, 47-44. On Tuesday, Feb. 11, the rematch, will be at West.

After handing previously-undefeated Fenwick (16-1) their first loss, 55-50 on Friday, in the quarterfinals of the Charger Holiday Classic at Dundee-Crown, the red-hot Hawks of Maine South (11-4) blew past Lake Park 54-39 in Saturday's semifinals. Led by the Gardnier sisters, Nicole and Niamh, after trailing 9-7 after one quarter, the Hawks outscored Lake Park (10-3) 37-20 over the last three quarters.

On Monday night, the Hawks will take on the defending IHSA Class 4A state champion Maine West (13-1) for the Dundee-Crown Charger Classic championship game.

After romping past JCA on Friday, Plainfield South (7-6) defeated the IHSA Class 1A two-time defending champs Danville Schlarman (5-6). Led by junior Aniya Mabry and sophomore Grace Harris, the Cougars surprised the two-time defending champs.

On Monday, South will take on Aurora Christian (13-1) and with a win, Plainfield South would take home the Peotone Blue Devil Holiday Tournament Championship

On Saturday in the Montini Girls Christmas Tournament semifinals, Lake Forest (13-2) stunned the previously-undefeated Redwings of Benet Academy, 45-44. The Scouts jumped out to a 10-6 lead after one quarter and extended their lead to 20-13 at the half.

Benet Academy (14-1) rallied to tie the game at 27-27 after three quarters. The fourth quarter was an all-out war between the two state-ranked powers, with Lake Forest prevailing 45-44.

The Redwings will play tournament host Montini (16-1) for third place on Monday at 6:30 p.m. Montini was stunned by undefeated Evanston 53-52 in the second semifinal on Saturday night. Evanston (12-0) will face Lake Forest (13-2) Monday at 8:30 for the tournament championship.

WHEATON NORTH

Downers Grove North 34 Bartlett 33

The Trojans (13-4) slipped past the Hawks (11-7) to take home the fifth-place trophy back to Downers Grove in Bill Neibchs's Falcon Holiday Classic.

PEOTONE

Joliet Catholic Academy 50 Aurora Christian 45

On a day when unbeaten girls hoops teams were being handed their first losses all over the state, at the Blue Devil Classic, the Angels stunned previously-unbeaten Aurora Christian 50-45. After being destroyed on Friday by Plainfield South, the Angels (11-6) showed their resiliency by shocking the Eagles (13-1). Aurora Christian is led by Plainfield Central-transfer Anna Griffin, who has averaged 19.7 points and 10-7 rebounds-per-game.

The Angels were again, led by their fantastic frosh Jasmine Brown, who dropped 27 points on the previously-undefeated Eagles. Breenna Ciemny chipped in with an even dozen points for the Angels.

OSWEGO EAST

Plainfield North 64 Sycamore 60

The Tigers (9-7) led 30-24 at the half over the Spartans (9-6). The Tigers led 47-41 after three quarters and held off a Spartan rally in the fourth quarter for the win. On Saturday night the Tigers defeated Oswego East to complete a successful 4-1 Oswego Holiday Tournament.

Plainfield Central 38 East Aurora 36

The Wildcats won a thriller over the Lady Tomcats (4-10) to even up their record at 8-8 and concluded the tournament, at 2-3.

Lockport (14-6) fell to Naperville North 47-27

Downers Grove South (6-10) went 2-3 at Oswego East..

Maine East (4-10) went 3-2 at the DePaul Prep Holiday Tournament

Minooka (3-13) went 1-3 at Lincoln-Way East's Medieval Holiday Tournament

Romeoville (2-12) went 1-1 in Indiana

Niles West (1-12) went winless at the Libertyville Holiday Tournament

Lisle (15-2) will play for third-place in the Lisle Holiday Cage Classic on Monday

Bolingbrook (6-5) will play for fifth-place versus Lyons Township at the Montini Christmas Tournament

Westmont (1-12) will take on Chicago Christian (5-10) in the Lisle Holiday Cage Classic on Monday.