Jan. 16--From a high school basketball standpoint, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the new Thanksgiving.
It might not be on the level of Christmastime "Holiday" tournaments, but MLK Day has eclipsed Thanksgiving as the second-best extended weekend of hoops on the calendar.
While the story of the weekend is the game that apparently won't be played on the South Side, there are many potentially entertaining matchups between willing participants in a variety of formats.
There are numerous showcases and round-robin tournaments, a marquee stand-alone matinee and even a bracketed tournament in which six of the 16 teams have been ranked in the Tribune Top 20 at some point this season.
The highlights:
Wheaton Warrenville South MLK Tournament
Play twice on Saturday and twice more on Monday, and you've got yourself a 16-team bracket in one holiday weekend. At first blush, a rematch of No. 12 Benet's decisive victory against No. 13 Notre Dame looks like a possibility for Monday night's final, but contenders abound on both sides of the bracket. Downers Grove South and Stevenson stand in Benet's path to the final, while Notre Dame might have to beat York and Hinsdale South.
Chicago vs. Detroit, Sunday at Crane
The Public League took it on the chin at a similar showcase in Detroit earlier this season, with Morgan Park, Bogan, Kenwood and Marshall all losing on the court in games they ultimately would have forfeited anyway because it turned out the event wasn't sanctioned. This one's at a high school gym, so no such issues should arise when No. 1 Morgan Park, No. 2 Curie, Farragut, and Proviso East take on teams from Detroit. Morgan Park and Curie play at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively.
No. 16 Young at No. 9 Thornton
The headliner of a Sunday showcase at Thornton pits two teams that have been improving throughout the season. Thornton guards Sam Taylor III and Patrick Rucker are on a mission to keep proving themselves, and there's a validation that goes along with beating Young that few other programs can match. The Dolphins are young but growing up quickly, and a win here would be a good way to get back in the top 10.
No. 3 Simeon at No. 4 Fenwick
What would be the headliner under most circumstances almost feels like an afterthought with the apparent cancellation of Morgan Park-Simeon. The 2 p.m. holiday tip on Monday gives people who haven't seen these teams a good opportunity.
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
