PFHC pairings announced

By Mark Jurgena

The pairings for the 38th Annual Prairie Farms Holiday Tournament were released Sunday evening. This year’s three-day classic runs from Dec. 28-30.

It features a 16-team bracketed tournament with play beginning at 10 a.m. when O’Fallon meets Mundelein to kick off the tourney.

Collinsville meets up with Oakville, Mo. at 6 p.m later that day. A win by the Kahoks would put them in the quarter-finals the following day at 1 p.m. against the winner of Rockford (East) and Belleville Althoff. Should they lose they would play at the same time in the Auxiliary Gym.

Triad is also in the tourney and they will take on Collierville, Tenn. right after the Kahoks game. A win would put the Knights in the quarterfinals the following day at 2:30 p.m. against the winner of Quincy and Alton. A loss and they will play at the same time the following day in the Auxiliary Gym.

One year ago, Decatur (MacArthur) beat O’Fallon 66-46 to claim the championship. The two squads could meet at 10:00 a.m. on day two of the tourney in the quarterfinals should both teams win their opener.

New to the field this year is Collierville, Tenn. Also new to the PFHC is a 35-second shot clock. The clock is allowed on an experimental basis this season at approved tournaments and shootouts.