2026 Chicago Elite Classic lineup revealed

St. Laurence may have the most interesting basketball schedule in the area, traveling to Las Vegas for the Tarkanian Classic and playing in most of the major local shootouts.

But senior guard Markese Peoples didn’t hesitate for an instant when asked which event he was most looking forward to.

“The Chicago Elite Classic for sure,” Peoples said. “I have that circled on my schedule. King will be a tough game for us.”

Most of today’s elite players grew up attending the Chicago Elite Classic, which was established by Young’s Tyrone Slaughter and Simeon’s Robert Smith in 2012. Nearly every local star played in the event over the past 14 years.

This year’s schedule was revealed to the Sun-Times on Wednesday. The event will be held Dec. 4-5 at UIC’s Credit Union 1 Arena.

Friday

Kenwood vs. Bolingbrook (girls)
Kenwood vs. Bolingbrook
Fenwick vs. Lane
Marist vs. Curie

It’s a bit of a new look for Friday, which traditionally featured Fenwick vs. Oak Park. This year features a fantastic matchup between Kenwood, the best team in the Public League, and Bolingbrook, which features the state’s most highly-regarded recruit, junior Brady Pettigrew.

Marist vs. Curie matches up the 2025 Class 4A state champions against the 2025 Public League champs. Both teams are full of brand new faces but have similarly high expectations. Smith’s son Rob Smith Jr. plays for Marist and is one of the state’s top freshmen.

Saturday

Hyde Park vs. Lincoln Park
King vs. St. Laurence
Evanston vs. St. Ignatius
Homewood-Flossmoor vs. St. Louis Chaminade
Mount Carmel vs. Perspectives-Leadership
Young vs. Simeon
Rich vs. Duncanville, Texas

Young vs. Simeon doesn’t always happen at the Chicago Elite Classic, but when it does, it is a major draw. Neither team has a notable star this season, but both have intriguing young players that will see the big stage as a breakout opportunity.

Evanston vs. St. Ignatius is the day’s highlight matchup. Both teams will open the season in the preseason Super 25 and have legitimate shots at the Class 4A state title.