Hall swaps 
tourney sites 
with Annawan

SPRING VALLEY — After a two-year stint at the State Farm Holiday Classic basketball tournament in Bloomington-Normal, the Hall Lady Red Devils will not be returning this year.

Instead of making the trek to Bloomington, they will be entering the Prophetstown Holiday Tournament, pending approval from the Hall High School Board.

“The reason behind that right now is some financial reasons, bus transportation and stuff like that,” said Hall athletic director Gary Barrera.

The Lady Red Devils will shave eight miles off their tournament transportation. Barrera said the Prophetstown tourney will still be a tough challenge with some top-flight competition, including Class 1A state champs Hinckley-Big Rock, as well as Prophetstown and Orion, both regional title winners from a year ago.

“The competition there is going to

be good for us to play against, it’s going to be a very competitive tournament,” Barrera said.

State Farm tournament director Dave Oloffson, a Manlius native, said it was his understanding, Hall would be rebuilding this season under first-year coach Dave Kain and was looking for other avenues.

Oloffson was able to pick up Annawan, which will return all-stater Kelly Buresh, to fill Hall’s slot in the State Farm Classic, which is regarded as one of the top tourneys in the state. He suggested Hall should look into Prophetstown where Annawan was departing.

Hall amassed a 2-6 record during their two years of play in the State Farm Holiday Classic. It previously played at the Lady Bruin Classic at St. Bede.

Kain replaces Pat Cinotte, who departed to take over the reigns of the women’s basketball program at IVCC.

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