New girls basketball tourney will feature Elgin schools

Elgin High School girls basketball coach Dr. Nick Bumbales has been working feverishly the past couple of months at putting together a tournament that would involve all the city’s high school girls programs.

Bumbales announced the pairings on Thursday for the first Elgin City Classic, which will be played on five separate dates at five different venues in January. Only St. Edward opted not to join the tournament this upcoming season.

“We’re hoping St. Ed’s will join in 2014 but the other five schools are excited and we think it’s a good way to highlight each program,” said Bumbales. “We’ve got each school hosting a night and we thought that was important, for all the girls to see the different programs and where everyone comes from.”

Larkin will host the first night of the tournament on Tuesday, Jan. 8. The next night, Elgin Academy hosts, then on Friday, Jan. 11 Harvest Christian entertains. Westminster Christian hosts on Jan, 15 and the tournament wraps up at Elgin’s Chesbrough Field House on Friday, Jan. 18.

There are two games each night with each team having a bye one night.

“All the coaches involved are good people and they do a good job,” said Bumbales, who added he hopes to have a pretournament banquet as well.

“It should be exciting for the girls.”