When Sides Collide matchups announced

The annual When Sides Collide Shootout at Glenbard East, presented by the City/Suburban Hoops Report, has its field of teams and matchups set for January 25.

Simeon vs. Notre Dame

There will be a whole bunch of young talent on display in a matchup of two teams that will be highly ranked when the season tips off in November.

Perennial state power Simeon, which won a sectional championship this past season, boasts an extremely talented young trio in Ahamad Bynum, one of the top five prospects in the Class of 2021, and the top two prospects in the Class of 2022 –– 6-9 Andre Casey and point guard Jaylen Drane.

Notre Dame will be one of the most improved teams in the state with the return of standout guard Anthony Sayles and 6-6 Troy D’Amico, two of the better prospects in the Class of 2021.

Bloom vs. Evanston

A team that has brought home hardware from Peoria in each of the past two seasons squares off with a team that is primed and ready to make a run to Peoria in 2019-2020.

Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

Evanston welcomes back a pair of starters in Blake Peters (13 ppg) and Jaylin Gibson (8 peg, 6.6 rpg) from a team that finished second in the state in Class 4A this past season –– and third in the state two years ago. The Wildkits have won 59 games the past two seasons.

Bloom will undoubtedly be a preseason top five team with the return of a heralded group of players who will all be seniors next year, including 6-9 Martice Mitchell and guards Donovan Newby, Dante Maddox, Jr., and Keshawn Williams.

Rolling Meadows vs. Fenwick

The City/Suburban Hoops Report’s top two prospects in the Class of 2021 –– Max Christie of Rolling Meadows and Bryce Hopkins of Fenwick –– will bring their respective teams together in a high-profile event.

Christie, a star 6-6 guard and top prospect in Illinois, is among the top 20 prospects in the country in the Class of 2021. As a sophomore last season he put up 26 points and 10 rebounds a game while scoring a career-high 51 points in one game and recording a triple-double in another.

Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

Hopkins, a versatile do-it-all who is pushing 6-6, broke out in a big way as a sophomore this past season, averaging 22 points, seven rebounds and two assists a game while picking up high-major offers and interest along the way.

Glenbard East vs. Aurora Christian

Aurora Christian figures to be one of the top small schools in the state and a potential top 25 team at some point next season. Will Wolfe, a 6-6 senior who averaged 17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists a game, is the headliner. Guard Taaj Davis is also back, along with guard Jaeshon Thomas, who averaged 16.8 points a game as a sophomore.

The host school should be a much-improved team with a returning perimeter trio of DaRon Hall, Alijah Nelson and Deon Cook.