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ANSWERS TO TRIVIA QUESTIONS Q1. What two coaches have won KHT Titles with multiple schools? A1. Vern Sloan (Westview '78 and '81 and BBCHS '88, '89 and '98). Russ Ahearn ( Hebron '51 and Streator '58).
Q2. What current KHS administrator was a head coach in prior KHT's? A2. Al Brown, IMPACT Principal (Al coached Kankakee Westview in the 1980's).
Q3. What current Kankakee teacher was an assistant coach and all-tourney selection from BBCHS? A3. Dan Merten (KHT All-Tourney in 1972 and former BBCHS assistant coach).
Q4. Can you name the five former three-time selections to the All-Tourney Team? A4. Stuart Bogan, Westview (1979-81) and James Murphy, Kankakee (1994-96), Jeff Weathwesby, St. Anne(2002-2004), Cody Yelder, Richards (2003-2005), and Rob Winnick, Hersher (2004-2006).
Q5. Can you name the two former two-time All-Tourney selections who made the team as Sophomores and Seniors, but not as Juniors? A5. Curt Crossley, Eastridge (1977 & 79), and David Hoekstra, McNamara (1981 & 83).
Q6. What two former KHT All-Tourney selections have played in the NBA? A6. Antoine Walker, Mount Carmel and Scott Meents, Herscher.
Q7. Who won the first KHT in 1950 and who did they beat in the championship game? A7. South Shore defeated East Peoria 67-50.
Q8. Has any KHT Champion ever went on to win the state tournament the same year? A8. Yes, Hebron , the 1951 KHT champions won the state tournament in 1952.
Q9. Where was the first KHT held? A9. At the brand new Eastside Junior High Gym, now known as Abe Lincoln Gym.
Q10. What year did the KHT move from Abe Lincoln Gym to Kankakee High School? A10. In 1993, when the KHT changed from a 16 team to an 8 team tournament.
Q11. Who is the winningest coach in KHT history? A10. Alex Renchen the current head coach at Kankakee , who has won six KHT titles.
Q12. Which school has the most career KHT titles, and how many did they win? A12. Kankakee High School with 13 titles (19 counting titles won by Eastridge and Westview).
Q13. How many teams participated in the first KHT and can you name them? A13. Eight ( Kankakee , Bradley, Hebron , South Shore , Urbana , Teutopolis, East Peoria and Spring Valley Hall).
Q14. What current participating schools played in the very first KHT? A14. Kankakee and Bradley.
Q15. What former Chicago Bear great played in the KHT in the 1950's? A15. Ed O'Bradovich, who played for Proviso in 1955 and 1956.
Q16. What was the cost of the first KHT program? A16. 10 cents in 1950.
Q17. What year did Kankakee split into Eastridge and Westview, and when did they recombine? A17. Kankakee High School split in 1966, and they recombined in 1983.
Q18. How did Eastridge and Westview fare over the years? A18. Eastridge won 4 titles ('68,'76,'77, and '79) and Westview won 2 ('78 and '81).
Q19. What former Kankakee great went on to both star and coach at the University of Illinois ? A19. Kankakee 's all-time great Harv Schmidt, captain of the 1952-53 Kays.
Q20. How many states have been represented at the KHT over the years, and which ones are they? A20. 4 ( Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Alaska ).
Q21. When did the KHT initially expand from 8 to 16 teams? A21. 1970 (they changed formats three times in the 90's and now have a 16-team, 2-class format).
Q22. When did the KHT go to a two-class format? A22. The KHT split into Class A and Class AA brackets in 1995.
Q23. How many NFL all-stars played in the KHT and who were they? A23. 3 (Ed O'Bradovich of the Chicago Bears from Proviso, Dave Kecourek of the Detroit Lions from Morton and Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles from Mount Carmel).
Q24. What former Bradley Bourbonnais cager went on to be a two-sport star at the University of Illinois and eventually play in the Chicago Cubs minor league organization? A24. Randy Crews, from the 1965 and 1966 Boilermaker squads.
Q25. What former All-KHT pick went on to star for some great New Mexico State teams in the 1960's? A25. Don Hoover of Kankakee St. Pat's.
Q26. What former All-KHT pick went on to become an All-American Guard for Kansas State in the 1950's? A26. Don Matuzak of Morton.
Q27. When was the first year Bradley won the KHT title, and how many have they won since then? A27. Bradley first won in 1972, coached by Ed Hayes, and they won three additional titles under Vern Sloan since then ('88, '89 and '98).
Q28. Who was responsible for founding the KHT? A28. Earl Jones, Kankakee's AD and Head Coach in the 1940's and 50's.
Q29. Why did Earl Jones decide to have a “holiday tournament”? A29. To celebrate completion of the East Side Junior High gym, now known as Abe Lincoln gym.
Q30. What was the nickname of the 1951 KHT champions from Hebron High and why were they special? A30. They were known as the “Green Giants”, but they played more like “David” from the popular biblical story of David and Goliath. This tiny school from Northern Illinois became the only small-school, district-qualifier to ever win the single-class state tournament, similar to the team portrayed in the movie “Hoosiers”. They were led by the famous “Judson Twins”, Phil and Paul, who later went on to star with Kankakee's Harv Schmidt at Illinois. They are the only KHT participant to win a state championship the same year as a KHT crown.
Q31. What year did Kankakee win its first KHT and why were they special? A31. In 1952, the Earl Jones led Kays beat Shelbyville 64-41 for the crown. This team, considered the finest Kankakee team ever, amassed 26 straight victories before being stopped by the eventualundefeated state champion, LaGrange, in a sectional final heart- breaker. This game is known asone of the all-time greats in state tournament history, and it e nded the glorious career of Harv Schmidt, one of the greatest basketball players ever to grace the halls of Kankakee High School.
Q32. What was special about the 1956 KHT? Q32. While Glenbard won the championship, 59-41 over Lincoln, three other teams also made some serious noise at the 1957 state finals. Ottawa, Champaign, and Springfield all made it to the Sweet 16 along with Glenbard and Lincoln, with Ottawa finishing in 3 rd place. Interestingly enough, these three teams only finished 3 rd , 5 th , and 7 th in the 1956 KHT. With five of eight KHT participants in the state finals it was certainly a testament to the rugged fields early on.
Q33. What was the largest crowd ever to watch a KHT Final? A33. The 1988 final between Bradley and Kankakee drew an excess capacity crowd estimated at about 3,500. Bradley beat Kankakee in a thriller, as hundreds of fans had to be turned away at the gate.
Q34. What was the greatest overall attendance for a KHT? A34. It has been reported that the 1957 KHT drew well in excess of 12,000 fans. The championship game drew a capacity crowd of over 3,200, as Kankakee beat St. Pat's 60-52 in a thriller. This was St. Pat's/McNamara's best finish ever under the single-class format.
Q35. What former BBCHS player coached a “brand new” high school to the KHT title in 1960? A35. Former Bradley standout, Dick Kinneman, coached Prospect High School to the KHT title in the school's first year of existence.
Q36. What former KHT coach led 3 different schools into KHT battle, winning crowns with two of them? A36. Bradley's recently retired coach, Vern Sloan, who guided Westview in the 70's and 80's, Morris in the 80”s and Bradley in the 80's and 90's.
Q37. Can you name the seven individuals won have held the KHT single game scoring record? A37. Lee O'Connell, South Shore (from 1949-1951; 30 pts.) Harv Schmidt, Kankakee (from 1952-1974; 36 pts.) Cliff Augustine, Holy Cross (from 1975-1978; 37 pts.) Curt Crossley, Eastridge (from 1979-1982; 38 pts.) Bruce Deckard, Herscher (from 1983-1986; 40 pts.) Derrick Brooks, Kankakee (from 1987-1994; 42 pts.) Jasper Mallory, Argo (from 1994-present; 49 pts.)
Q38. What current KHT game official starred for his high school during prior KHT's? A38. Joe Ewers, who was the main man for the Momence Redskins in the mid-1980's.
Q39. What former KHT MVP was named Illinois' Mr. Basketball and went on to win an NCAA basketball title with the University of Kentucky? A39. Antoine Walker of Mount Carmel, who played in the 1991 KHT.
Q40. What former KHT participant gained national recognition when he helped lead his underdog college team into the Sweet 16 of the 1998 NCAA tournament? A40. Jamie Sykes of Kankakee who starred for the Valparaiso University Crusaders.
Q41. What former KHT Class AA all-tourney selection was the starting point guard, captain and all-time assist leader for Bradley University last year? A41. Marcello Robinson of Kankakee.
Q42. What statewide claim can the KHT make? A42. The KHT is the longest, continuously running holiday basketball tournament in Illinois.
Q43. How many formats has the KHT had? A43. 5 (an 8-team single-class format, a 16-team single-class format, an 8-team pool-play format, a 10-team pool-play format, and a 16-team two-class format).
Q44. Prior to moving to the two-class format, did any “small” schools win the KHT? A44. Yes, Hebron High won the 1951 KHT and went on to capture the 1952 State Championship.
Q45. What school traveled the farthest distance to participate in the KHT? A45. Easily, Diamond High of Anchorage, Alaska in 1996 (they finished 2 nd to Kankakee that year).
Q46. What former All-KHT selection played in the KHT for two different high schools in the 1970's? A46. John Griffin, who played for Eastridge in 1976 and 1977 and Rockford East in 1978.
Q47. What former Carmel High School standout recently pitched for the Minnesota Twins? A47. Scott Stohoviak, who made the KHT All-Tourney team in 1987.
Q48. What current Philadelphia Phillies All-Star played in the KHT in the 1980's? A48. Jim Thome, who played for Bartonville Limestone in 1987 and 1988.
Q49. What current Philadelphia Eagle All-Pro played in the KHT in the 1990's? A49. Donovan McNabb, who played for Mt. Carmel in 1991.
Q50. What teams played in the highest scoring game in KHT history and what was the score? A50. Chicago Farragut defeated St. Anne in a 1989 KHT battle, 115-81.
Q51. What two unrelated players, sporting the same name, both made KHT all-tournament teams? A51. John Griffin of Rockford East (All-KHT in 1978) and John Griffin of Argo (All-KHT in 1983).
Q52. What father & son combo both made all tournament teams during their playing days? A52. Curt Crossley for Eastridge in 1977 and 1979, and his namesake and son, Curt Crossley for Bishop McNamara in 1998.
Q53. Who were the tallest players in KHT history? A53. The tallest players were 7'1” James Baptist of Whitney Young in 1991 and 7'0” Rick Bettenhausen of Peotone in 1984.
Q54. What former SIU-Edwardsville starter and captain was a two-time All-KHT selection? A54. Ron Jones, Jr. of Kankakee.
Q55. How many KHT teams have made it to the state finals, and who was the last to do so? A55. 22 teams have made it to the state tournament over the years, with the 2003 KHT runner-up Elite 8 Qualifier St. Anne Cardinals being the most recent to accomplish this feat Q57. What former Richards All-Stater was a three-time All-KHT selection and lead his Bulldogs to their first ever KHT title in 2005? Q58. What formet Peoria Central sharp shooter, and all-time KHT selection, is one of the all-time leading scorers in Eastern Illinois University history Q59. What is the largest number of area schools to ever play in a single KHT? Q60. What team has participated in both the small (1A/2A) and large (3A/4A) brackets during their time with the KHT? Q61. What team has participated in both the small (1A/2A) and large (3A/4A) brackets during their time with the KHT? A61. Illinana Christian. they were in the small school bracket from 2000-2005 (2005 Champion) and in the large school braclet 1999, 2006-present Website Maintained by:
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