The 23rd annual Summer Shootout this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Riverside Brookfield High School once again features 84 boys basketball teams, including most of the top ones in the Chicago area and some throughout the state.
For RBHS boys basketball coach and organizer Mike Reingruber, there’s also a vital 85th team – the roughly 100 volunteers who keep the NCAA Live Event running smoothly.
“It’s a huge endeavor. All of the parents, coaches, players, former players, siblings, family members. Everybody who helps with the event make it such a huge success and we can’t do it without them,” Reingruber said.
“I’ve been running tournaments for 25 years or so. I’ve got a system and have things in place that help the organization of it, but really every year each tournament is unique. There’s a unique set of teams, coaches, family and players to help. (Many returning volunteers) but part of the fun of it is new people involved as well.”
The Shootout has been an NCAA Live Event since 2019 and attracts more than 200 coaches. Reingruber said the Shootout is being held earlier this June because NCAA coaches voted to split their two usually consecutive observation weeks so that Father’s Day weekend would remain open.
The 84 teams include the host Bulldogs, Lyons Township and Fenwick as well as 2026 state champions Marist (Class 4A) and East St. Louis Senior (3A) and the other three top-four 4A finishers (Benet Academy, DePaul College Prep and York).
Links for further tournament information, schedules and scores is available at riversidebrookfieldbasketball.com. Live coverage will be available at Ballertv.com.
RBHS plays Friday against West Aurora at 1:55 p.m. and Hyde Park at 3:55 p.m. and Saturday against Andrew at 8:55 a.m. and Niles North at 10:45 a.m.
LTHS plays Saturday against Mt. Carmel at 11:40 a.m. and Thornton at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday against Hersey at 9:25 p.m. and Plainfield East at 11:15 a.m.
Fenwick plays Saturday against Peoria Central at 2:25 p.m. and Metea Valley at 4:15 p.m. and Sunday against Crystal Lake South at 2 p.m. and Thornwood at 2:55 p.m.
One of the marquee matchups Friday is Bolingbrook and Neuqua Valley at 2:50 p.m. The Raiders’ Brady Pettigrew and the Wildcats’ Cole Kelly are among the state’s top-rated players in the Class of 2028.
Every team plays twice on two of the three days. The half-court games consist of two 20-minute halves with running clocks.
“Beyond the work of it, just being a high school basketball purist, I love having all of these great players and programs under our roof at RB,” Reingruber said.
“It’s really a testament to the basketball community and culture we’ve built at RB. It’s a great opportunity to showcase our school, our program and all of the great things (in the community).”