Proviso West Holiday Tournament Top Ten Lists

With apologies to David Lettermen, here is a collection of Top Tens at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament. 
You can cast your own vote or opinions on the bottom of the page -- after all, it is an election year!

TOP TEN MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Fans and participants were asked in 2005 to vote for their most memorable moment in internet voting on www.pwhoops.com
 1. Jon Scheyer scores 21 points in 75 seconds and sets the tournament record for single game points with 52
 2. Evanston beats Proviso East in the 1967 title game with way too many people in the gym
 3. The Kevin Garnett-Ronnie Fields experience resembled rock stars signing autographs after games
 4. The 1978 championship game saw senior Isiah Thomas beat junior Doc Rivers in an overflow house
 5. A Ronnie Fields windmill dunk over a Loyola Academy player is the most remembered of his many slams
 6. The Public League Red-West dominated the competition winning nine straight titles from 1994-2002
 7. Proviso East dominates all-tournament team with 30 different players; Lyons Township is next with 14
 8. Two Dunbar players break the backboard in the first round game causing an hour delay
 9. The Lyons-Proviso East rivalries in the sixties and seventies saw one of these teams make the final in 13 straight years
10.The King Mystique of the 1980's provided tourney wins in 16 of 19 games as the heralded National High School Champions


TOP TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
1967 -- Evanston 50, Proviso East 48 (ot) - Suburban League rivals, Bob Lackey and Jim Brewer go head-to-head with both teams winning the state championship over the next two years.
1978 - Saint Joseph 88, Proviso East 72 -- Another great pair square off.  This time it's neighborhood bragging rights with Isiah Thomas and Doc Rivers.
2006 - Saint Joseph 59, Proviso East 58 -- In a game featuring 13 ties and 16 lead changes, the Chargers win it on a layup with 1.5 seconds remaining, as the Chargers become the first team to three-peat.
1982 - Lyons Township 56, Saint Joseph 54 -- Looking to become the first team to win three straight titles, the nation's top ranked team is stunned by a balanced scoring attack.
1974 - Proviso East 60, Lyons Township 58 -- East beats Lyons for the third time in a title game in the last seven years despite a 31-point performance by Derky Robinson in a losing cause.
1992 - Proviso West 48, Proviso East 38 -- Another three-peat is thwarted, as West -- who was outscored 10-0 in the second quarter -- knocks off the two-time tournament and state champions.
2007 - Whitney Young 55, Homewood-Flossmoor 53 (ot) -- After trailing by double digits, the Vikings forced only the third overtime in championship game history, but Young prevailed for their third title.
1970 - Proviso East 71, Lyons Township 68 -- Another Instant Classic as the last two defending state champions go head to head before a paced house in the highest scoring final to date.
1975 - Proviso West 52, Morgan Park 51 -- The Panthers starting five never substitutes in winning their first tourney title against the eventual state champion.
1981 - Saint Joseph 43, Martin Luther King 40 -- King and Efrem Winters make their first appearance to the title game, but its Saint Joseph that wear the crown in the lowest scoring championship game.


TOP TEN NON-CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
2005 - Proviso West 85, Glenbrook North 79 -- 52 points from Jon Scheyer isn't enough as the undefeated defending state champs fall to the hosts in quarterfinal action.  The Duke recruit scores and incredible 21 points in 75 seconds before fouling out in the last second and receives a standing ovation from the 3990 spectators in attendance as Duke coach Mike Kryzewski watches.
1977 - Saint Joseph 66, Westinghouse 65 -- Billed as Aguirre against Isiah. The quarterfinal game lives up to its reputation as Mark Aguirre scored 35 points, but it was an Isiah Thomas free throw in the final seconds making the difference.
1984 - Proviso West 63, Simeon 62 -- The defending State Champs fall after 37 straight victories.  West goes on to a tournament championship, a perfect 25-0 regular season and a number 9 national ranking by USA Today.
1995 - Farragut 47, New Trier 44 -- A single game modern attendance record of 4188 is set as the gym is officially sold out by 5:35 p.m. for the day's second quarterfinal game.  Ronnie Fields delights the crowd with 17 points and 14 rebounds.  The Admirals take the lead and hold the ball in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Trevians 4-3 in the final eight minutes.
1986 - Collins 74, King 71 -- The Nation's # 3 team and defending state champions are upset in the semi-finals, snapping King's  40-game win streak.
1997 - New Trier 67, Fenwick 65 (ot) -- In a quarterfinal battle of unbeatens a pair of all-staters grab the highlights as New Trier's Matt Lottich (21) matches Fenwick's Corey Maggette (20) point for point.
1969 - Willowbrook 58, Proviso East 56 (ot) -- The defending tournament and state champs are stunned in the quarterfinals by Willowbrook in overtime as George Thoreson scores the game winner at the buzzer.
1978- Saint Joseph 64, New Trier West 63 -- It's Isiah to the rescue again in another quarterfinal thriller, as the all-stater sinks a free throw in the final seconds to send the Cowboys home and the Chargers to their second straight title.
1977 - Fenwick 81, Proviso East 80 -- Jim Trauth's basket at the buzzer stun the Pirates in the semi-finals and deny the first ever  championship game matchup between Proviso East and Saint Joseph, as Fenwick advances to their only title game.
1986 - New Trier 64, Proviso West 63 (ot) -- The unbeaten host Panthers lead by seven points with 1:15 left in regulation before New Trier ties the score and wins the semi-final in an extra session.
 

TOP TEN COACHES
Let's start with the seven coaches recognized as members of the 40 Most Influential All-Time All-Tournament Team in 2000:
Gene Pinagtore, Saint Joseph -- (79 wins, nine titles, 18 trophies in 36 years);
Lowell Lucas, Proviso West-- (58 wins, three titles, 18 trophies in 23 years);
Ron Nikcevich, Riverside-Brookfield & Lyons Township -- (52 wins, four titles, 12 trophies in 30 years);
Roy Condotti, Westinghouse & Homewood-Flossmoor -- (39 wins, one title, 11 trophies in 16 years);
Glenn Whittenberg, Proviso East --  (35 wins, four titles, 10 trophies in 14 years);
Bill Hitt, Proviso East -- (26 wins, two titles, seven trophies in 10 years); and
Tom Millikin, Proviso East -- (21 wins, three titles, six trophies in six years). 
How about adding Thornridge's Mike Flaherty (38 wins, one title, 10 trophies in 14 years); Farragut's Wolf Nelson (25 wins, three titles, seven trophies in nine years); and Martin Luther King's Sonny Cox (24 wins, two titles, eight trophies in 14 years) to round out the Top 10?


TOP TEN TEAM CHAMPIONS
1994 Farragut -- The Admirals won every game by at least 20; the "Garnett and Fields Show" rocks in Hillside
1967 Evanston -- Won first three games by 97 points before classic overtime championship game
1978 Saint Joseph -- Isiah steals the show; saves the best for last against rival Proviso East and Doc Rivers
1969 Lyons Township -- No one comes within 16 points of the Lions en route to a perfect 31-0 season
1968 Proviso East -- Winners of every game in double digits; lost only once on way to state championship
1985 Martin Luther King -- Won tourney opener by 52; never looked back and coasted to state crown
1979 Proviso East -- Sets team scoring record average over 85 ppg; beats all opponents by 11 or more
1984 Proviso West -- Beats two nationally ranked Public League powers; completes perfect regular season at 25-0
1990 Proviso East -- The Three Amigos won the semi and final by 25 and 17 points and went on to win state
1966 Downers North -- 21 point title game win over Proviso East is still a record; beat the two Provisos by 50 points


TOP TEN INNOVATIONS
1. The ever popular www.pwhoops.com website which has had over 2-1/2 millions hits in three years.  The website became the official source for information and allowed spectators to watch video, see up to the minute scores and listen to games for free.
2, Three man officiating crew - Ahead of its time, the first use of three person crews at the high school level was instituted at Proviso West in 1983 -- the year after it debuted in the NCAA Final Four and NBA Finals.  The IHSA waited until 1999 to implement the three person format at its state finals.
3. Live computer statistics -- Making its high school debut in the 1993, computerized boxscores were available seconds after the conclusion of play.
4. Rehab of Proviso West Sports Arena with stadium styles seats -- The comfort for fans was never better.  Stadium style seats were installed on the main floor with chairbacks in 2007, as fans could purchase advanced tickets on the internet 
5. Shot clock - Although it made its debut in 2001, Proviso West used a shot clock in its events in the early 2000's.  When the IHSA stopped gathering data after a two year experiment,  the clocks were no longer used, but they still manage to make an annual appearance at East Aurora and Rich South despite the National Federation's ban.
6. Cybercasts - Games could be watched live in 1999 across the world wide web with live play-by-play and statistical data.
7. Four Games, Four Dollars - The second day winners bracket of the tournament can supply some of the best games of the tournament and in the 1980's tournament officials restructured the session bracket to allow fans to see all four quarterfinal games for only four dollars. 
8. Live Television Coverage - To fill a scheduling void of the NHL player's strike, Sports Channel had live TV coverage of the Third Place and Championship Game in 1994.
9. Live Streaming Video - Starting in 2005, spectators could watch games live and purchase DVD copies of games over the internet.
10. The 40 Most Influential All-Time Al-Tournament Team - In 2000 fans participated in selecting the top 40 individuals for the first 40 years of the tournament.  A plaque adorns the main entrance to the Sports Arena with the names of the All-Time Team.



Did we forget something on the Top Ten?  Send your thoughts to the link below.  

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