Full day of basketball on tap at SJO as Christie Clinic Shootout returns Saturday

The Christie Clinic Shootout is back at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

The 14-team, seven-game boys’ basketball event starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Paxton-Buckley-Loda is slated to play Greenville in the opener, followed by Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin against Lanark Eastland at 12:30 p.m.

Mahomet-Seymour and Kankakee are set to tangle at 2 p.m., followed by Centennial against Washington at 3:30 p.m. and Manteno against Monticello at 5 p.m.

Oak Lawn and Normal Community are slated to tip at 6:30 p.m. before Tuscola and SJO close out the event with a game set to start at 8 p.m.

The shootout will also feature seven junior varsity games on Saturday inside the practice gym at SJO.

The first JV game is at 9 a.m. between SJO and PBL before Lanark Eastland and BHRA play at 10:30 a.m. Kankakee and Mahomet-Seymour tip off at noon, followed by Washington against Centennial at 1:30 p.m., Manteno against Monticello at 3 p.m., Oak Lawn against Normal Community at 4:30 p.m. and Tuscola against SJO at 6 p.m.

This is the seventh year of the shootout, with the first one held in 2015 after former SJ-O boys’ basketball coach Brian Brooks came up with the concept.

SJO carries a 12-2 record into the event after beating Williamsville 62-55 at home on Tuesday night.

“The way Mr. Brooks  got everything started, he did it the right way,” SJO athletic director Justin Franzen said. “When you do things the right way, it always gains steam. Luckily, that’s at the point we’re going. It’s just gaining steam. More and more people are reaching out about it that want to participate in it. That’s a good problem to have.”