December 2nd – 4th– Teams from Chicago and across the Chicagoland area have been announced for the 11th Annual Chicago Elite Classic Basketball Tournament powered by Nike, which will take place Friday, December 2nd, Saturday, December 3rd and Sunday, December 4, 2022, at the Credit Union 1 Arena (formerly UIC Pavilion) and a limited quantity will be sold at local participating schools.
This year’s tournament has been extended to a 3-day event which includes the newly added ‘She Got Next’ Women’s Tournament on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Recently announced teams include Chicago Public Schools’ Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Simeon Career Academy, Kenwood Academy, and Curie Metropolitan High Schools, as well as Chicago-area suburban high school teams Fenwick, Oak Park, River Forest, and Joliet West. National Teams will include Vashon, Gonzaga, and National Christian Academy just to name a few.
This year’s showcase will also honor basketball and community leaders, including female leaders Linnae Harper and Cynthia Irving. Kenny McReynolds, will also be honored for his 2,500 broadcast as an announcer of high school sports events and 1,100 episodes of CPS Sports Edition.
As the basketball showcase enters its 11th year, Nike will once again return as the presenting sponsor. In addition to Nike, the tournament will also be sponsored by Ariel Investments, Blue Cross Blue Shield, CPASS, and Zing Health to name a few.
“Our sponsors’ continued belief that creating long-lasting and impactful relationships with Chicago and its athletes makes tournaments like this possible,” said Malik T. Murray, SVP, Head of Business Development Institutional Marketing for Ariel Investments and Chairman of the Chicago Elite Classic Advisory Board. “We are always grateful for the opportunity to grow with the community and it is of the utmost importance to our sponsors that we continue to show-up in meaningful ways that benefit everyone involved.”
“To be able to witness the personal-growth and character-building this tournament offers each player that I have had the honor of coaching , and how the city has rallied behind all of them has been one of my greatest achievements,” said Robert Smith, head coach at Simeon Career Academy. “ I am excited to continue to bring great basketball to Chicago via CEC for many years to come.”
The athletes that come through this tournament are not only some of the best athletes in the city, but many go on to become some of the greatest professional athletes in the world,” said Tyrone Slaughter, head coach at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. “It is truly an honor to continue to provide such a great platform for our youth in this city.”
Tickets on sale now at local participating schools and at Credit Union 1 Arena (formerly UIC Pavilion). You can also purchase directly at www.chicagoeliteclassic.com and www.ticketmaster.com. To protect all in attendance, all attendees, regardless of vaccination status must maintain social distancing wherever possible.
For more information on the Chicago Elite Classic, please visit the tournament website and follow CEC on social media at @ChiEliteClassic Twitter @ChicagoEliteClassic Instagram and Facebook.
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