       
The
1990's saw many changes take place, both in terms of the KHT's format
and participation. The tournament was reduced from 16 to 8 teams in
1993, and pool play was established, with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th
place finishers from the two pools playing each other on the final
day. The KHT also moved from Abe Lincoln Gym to Kankakee High School
that year. This format has continued through this year's tournament and has proved to be very popular. It has allowed many local Class A squads to contend for a title (seven local teams will be in this year's Class A bracket), while continuing to provide stiff competition for our two local Class AA squads (Kankakee and Bradley). Regardless of the format one thing has remained constant, the KHT continues to attract some of the best high school talent from this area and across the state. In
1990 Kankakee returned to KHT prominence for the first time since
the merger of Eastridge and Westview in 1983. They beat top-seeded
Bradley in the final before a packed house. The Kays were led by Andy
Kilbride, who went on to star at Wisconsin and Anthony Lawrence. A
balanced Kankakee squad repeated the feat in 1991, beating a young
Mt. Carmel squad that featured future NBA All-Star Antoine Walker
and future NFL star Donovan McNabb. Bradley's absence from the KHT
that year was disappointing as this Boiler squad went on to make their
first ever appearance in the They repeated as champs in 1993 under the 8-team pool play set up, beating Kankakee in the championship game. In 1994, for the first time in KHT history, two champions were crowned. Rantoul captured the Maroon Division title while Kankakee copped the Blue Division crown. 1995 brought the advent of the two-class format and the continuation of two annual KHT champions. McNamara defeated St. Anne in the Class A title match, while Kankakee held off Orr in the Class AA final. 1996 marked the first time in six years that all three city schools participated, with Kankakee defeating Dimond High School of Anchorage, Alaska in the Class AA final and Tolono Unity beating Driscoll Catholic in the Class A matchup. 1997
and 1998 saw great attendance prevail as all three city schools marched
to finals each year. McNamara won back-to-back Class A titles to make
it three KHT crowns in four years, defeating Iroquois West in 1997
and Milford in 1998. Kankakee and Bradley staged heart-stopping Class
AA championship games, with Kankakee emerging as the victor in 1997
and Bradley wrestling the crown from the Kays in 1998. The millenium
ended with McNamara winning its 4th title in 5 years in the Class
A bracket over Herscher, while a deep Urbana team outmuscled the high
flying Argo Argonauts led by sharp shooter Al Sewasciuk in Class AA. KHT All-Decade Team (1990's)
Website Maintained by:
Kankakee
Holiday Tournament Please contact: 1950's
| 1960's | 1970's | 1980's
| 1990's | Tournament
Schedule |
||||||||
This pool play format was expanded to 10 teams in 1994, with champions
from each pool crowned at the tournament's conclusion (the first time
multiple champions were crowned for a KHT). In 1995 the tournament
returned to a 16-team format, but with an added twist. The field was
divided into two brackets, Class A and Class AA, with each being set
up as an eight team, three day bracket. 
State
Finals, before losing in the first round at Champaign. Carver defeated
Rantoul in 1992, thus becoming the last team to win the KHT under
a 16-team, single class format.