USA-365.com to broadcast Wildcat Winter Classic Tournament semi-finals and finals Dec. 26-27

A USA-365.com Special Staff Report
12-26-2014

The 7th Wildcat Winter Classic Girls Basketball Tournament at Hanover Central HS, Cedar Lake, IN

These trophies went to Bishop Chatard, the winner of the 2013 Winter Classic.
(Photo by Mark Smith)

at Hanover Central high school Dec. 26-27,
Friday, Dec. 26 - 11 a.m.
Hebron (2-6) vs. HANOVER CENTRAL (7-3)
Whiting (0-10) vs. Griffith (3-8)
Friday, Dec. 26 - 12:30 p.m.
Washington Township (5-5) vs. Morton (7-3)
Knox (0-9) vs. Hobart (7-4)

Friday, Dec. 26
Consolation semifinal - 6 p.m.
Consolation semifinal - 7:30 p.m.
HANOVER/Hebron vs. Whiting or Griffith - 6 p.m.
WT or Morton vs Hobart/Knox - 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 27
7th place (original HC gym) 6 p.m.
5th place (original HC gym) 7:30 p.m.
3rd place (main gym) 6 p.m.
Championship (main gym) 7:30 p.m.

Download tournament brackets.

CEDAR LAKE (12-26-2014) Internet radio USA-365.com will again broadcast the Wildcat Winter Classic girls basketball tournament semifinals Dec. 26 and finals Dec. 27 from the west gym of Hanover Central High School. Tournament host Hanover opens the tournament against Hebron on Friday, Dec. 26 at 11 a.m. in the west gym, while Whiting plays Griffith in the east Gym.

The tournament lower bracket slates Washington Township against Morton on Friday, Dec. 26 at 12:30 p.m. in the west gym. Knox faces Hobart in the east gym Friday, Dec. 26 at 12:30 p.m.

GRIFFITH (3-7)
Hobart and Hanover are favored to meet in the finals, but Griffith may have something to say about that. The Panthers feature 6-foot-3 sophomore center Talia Roldan who averages 10.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots. Senior guard Jasmine Napier averages 4.9 points and 3.2 assists and 5-fot-9 sophomore Rachel Kruhaj (6.1 pg,) has scored in double figures three times. 5-foot-5 senior Courtney Bell (7.1 ppg.) is the key to the team and I don't know if she's playing. Bell missed the game at Munster on the 20th. If she can play and Griffith keeps the pace slow, they, Griffith can win here. The Panthers average just 30 points a game so get ready for some slow, strategic possessions.

MORTON (7-3)
Morton topped Griffith 40-37 in November and the Governors want to play fast with freshman guard Hannah Hammar and Shanty Butler. The Governors have lost 52-51 to Hobart but that was also in November. Junior Timiya Ray score 16 with six steals in a 40-36 win over Munster on Dec. 11. Senior center Tatyana Skinner blocked six shots in that game. The Governors don't have a lot of depth and they may run into trouble here playing three games in two days. But Morton has won seven of their last eight and the only loss there was to Gary West Side.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (5-5)
The Senators are led by 5-foot-4 senior Heather Burton (20.8 ppg.), who has scored 1000 points in four years including 32 in a 56-39 win over Westville last week. WT has six sophomores, so they'll need 6-foot senior center Donnae Lipinski to team with Burton and play all the way in most games. Morton will be the largest school Washington Township has faced this season so this first game is a big test for them.

HOBART (7-4)
Hobart has lost to Lake Central, Michigan City and East Chicago. They are the favorite here. The Brickies recently got 6-foot senior center Zoe Wilson (injured over the summer) back in the lineup and they are better now than they were in November. Wilson has played four games and they'll certainly be careful with her playing three games in four days. Senior Cailin Trezak (11 .1) has two 20-point games and senior forward Kara Cooke (5.9 ppg.) grabbed 10 rebounds against East Chicago and Griffith and she averages seven rebounds a game. Hobart has also missed sophomore guard Dajah Hill (7.3 ppg.,) who played her first game on Dec. 2. The Brickies appear to be just rounding into shape now and they may be a tough team to beat this week.

HANOVER CENTRAL (7-3)
Hanover Central has losses to Crown Point (6-5), Lowell (4-6) and Kankakee Valley (8-3) despite losing seniors Frankie Turturillo, Hayley Frost and Ashley Cooley to injury. HC likes to run the floor with juniors Brooke Sterkowitz (15.8 ppg, 23 of 66 - 3-point shots) and Breana Kerley (7.5 ppg.) but they can also slow it down for 6-foto-2 junior center Lisa Gac (10. 7 ppg.) and three point spot up shooter Alex Glidewell (7.5 ppg.,), who is 16 of 35 from 3-point range. Hanover Central has never won this tournament and the victory here would probably mean more to them then it would to any of the other seven schools.

USA-365.com will broadcast the semi-final games Friday evening at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and the 3rd place game and championship game on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The USA-365.com broadcast team of Frank Sprankle, Mark Smith and Dave Woodworth will provide the play-by-play in the four tournament games, which are being sponsored again this year by ASC Automotive Service Center.

ASC Automotive Service Centers are located at 14702 W 101st Avenue in Dyer, Indiana.

Phone: 219-558-2870…

and in Chicago, Illinois at 10124 S Indianapolis. Phone: 773-721-9596.

HANOVER CENTRAL TOURNAMENT
DATE	GM	SCHEDULE (EASTERN TIME)	SITE	ROUND
Dec. 26	1	Hebron at Hanover Central, noon	Hanover Central	First round
Dec. 26	2	Whiting vs. Griffith, noon	Hanover Central	First round
Dec. 26	3	Hammond Morton vs. Washington Twp., 1:30 pm	Hanover Central	First round
Dec. 26	4	Knox vs. Hobart, 1:30 pm	Hanover Central	First round
Dec. 26	5	Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 7:00 pm	Hanover Central	Consolation
Dec. 26	6	Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 7:00 pm	Hanover Central	Semifinal
Dec. 26	7	Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 8:30 pm	Hanover Central	Consolation
Dec. 26	8	Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8:30 pm	Hanover Central	Semifinal
Dec. 27	9	Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7, 7:00 pm	Hanover Central	7th place
Dec. 27	10	Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 8:30 pm	Hanover Central	5th place
Dec. 27	11	Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8, 7:00 pm	Hanover Central	3rd place
Dec. 27	12	Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8, 8:30 pm	Hanover Central	championship