HINSDALE CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC

HC SQUARED:  It's The Best Game In Town

Game Recap

HINSDALE, Ill. – Plainfield East completed a last-minute rally to force overtime and eventually secured a 69-62 win over Schaumburg in the consolation bracket of the 2025 Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic.

The Bengals (9-5 record) made half their shots in the first quarter, but they struggled to convert from deep in the opening 16 minutes, going 1-for-10 from beyond the arc. But Plainfield East made up for it by forcing nine Schaumburg turnovers in the half, which resulted in 12 points, including eight on the fast break. Alijah Little was the top scorer in the early going with 10 points at the break. Teammate KJ Miller was right behind him with nine points of his own.

The Saxons (7-6 record) shot 48 percent in the opening half with some quality looks against Plainfield East's man-to-man and zone defenses. Ray Black tallied nine points by the break and Cam Anderson was active on the boards with six rebounds. The back-and-forth affair saw Plainfield East hold a narrow 25-24 edge at halftime.

Schaumburg found its offensive rhythm in the third quarter with 21 points. Good ball movement and cuts to the lane proved crucial. However, the offense started drying up in the fourth quarter and the Bengals took advantage with some big shots down the stretch.

The Saxons saw their 11-point lead disappear amid a flurry of missed free throws as they went 1-for-7 at the line in the fourth quarter. After Plainfield East evened the score at 55-55, Schaumburg's Aiden Patterson hit 1 of 2 free throws with 4.6 seconds left to put his team back up. Plainfield East had one last look for the win, with Miller drawing a foul on the inbounds and tying things up at 56-56 to force overtime.

The Bengals started the extra period quickly with a few baskets to keep the momentum going. Miller provided a highlight as the guard snagged a steal and dunked it at 65-60. Plainfield East held on from there to get the win. Miller was the top producer, pouring in 28 points to go with five rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Little put up 18 points, four rebounds and four assists of his own. Leslie Pobee Jr. snagged 12 rebounds off the bench, and Christopher Tchoffa posted nine points and eight rebounds.

In the final game stats, Plainfield East shot 42 percent from the field and 23 percent from three (5-22). Schaumburg converted 49 percent of its field goals, 38 percent of its threes (5-13) and only 39 percent at the charity stripe (7-18). Black led the Saxons with 15 points. Tony Horton submitted an overall stat line of 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Patterson put up 12 points and Aaron Shogren had 11. Anderson grabbed 13 rebounds to go with eight points and three steals.

Plainfield East will face off with the winner of the Hinsdale Central/St. Charles East game on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. Schaumburg will take on the loser of that same game at 9:30 a.m.