1. Proviso East
Comment: The Pirates’ lightning-quick, abundantly athletic, full-court-pressing, four-guard lineup is reminiscent of Westinghouse’s little guys who were state runners-up in 2000. Point guard Dee Brown (19 points, eight assists, five rebounds, five steals a game) is rated the second-best player in the state behind Sean Dockery of Julian, while 6-3 shooting guard Shannon Brown is considered the state’s No. 1 junior. Just a notch behind him is junior guard Charles Richardson, while seniors Arthur Talley and 6-5 Montonio Blake round out the starting lineup for a program that was 25-4 last season. New coach Troy Jackson is hoping for contributions from 6-5 junior Jeremy Williams, 6-9 junior Ronnie Carlwell and senior Jeffrey Martin.
2. Farragut
Comment: This is coach William Nelson’s best team since Kevin Garnett, Ronnie Fields and Michael Wright took the Admirals to the Class AA quarterfinals in 1995. Leading the way is 6-6 Elliott Poole (21 points, 14 rebounds), a Wright clone who is the Public League’s best inside player. He is supported by 6-6 junior Dennard Montague and 6-6 sophomore Ollie Bailey. Marcetteaus McGee is among the Public League’s backcourt elite, and the Admirals (19-8 last winter) also boast Courtney McGarry and Courtney Alexander.
3. West Aurora
Comment: The Blackhawks are shooting for their second state title in three years behind 6-2 point guard Jay Thomas, who is rated by one recruiting service among the top 10 sophomores in the country. Add returnees Kris Jenkins, 6-4 Mike Soderlind and 6-4 Danny Real plus 6-6 Waubonsie Valley transfer Dameon Mason and 6-7 Providence-St. Mel transfer Shawn Pruitt and you have all the ingredients for a championship run. The talent runs so deep that coach Gordie Kerkman wants to use a 10-player rotation for a team that was 27-4 last season and a state quarterfinalist.
4. Bloom
Comment: This could be the only program in Illinois with six “returning starters.” The Blazing Trojans were already formidable enough with returnees such as 6-4 Marquette signee Joe Chapman (21 points, eight rebounds), 6-7 Josh Argue, 6-5 Antonio Cool and point guard Robert Davis–a straight-A student with a 28 ACT score–from last season’s 21-8 ballclub. Then coach Gary Meyer welcomed 6-8 Conant transfer Luther Boyd and 6-5 Homewood-Flossmoor transfer Larry Ellis, both key players for their teams last season. “Developing a team chemistry with all this talent will be the key to our season,” Meyer said.
5. Thornwood
Comment: Sure, the 32-2 Class AA runner-up is missing 6-11 Eddy Curry, who went straight from South Holland to the Bulls. But the Thunderbirds are still a state-title threat behind 6-7 Purdue signee Melvin Buckley (14 points, five rebounds), 6-5 Indiana State signee David Moss, 6-8 Justin Williams and junior point guard Geremie Allison. There’s also 6-3 Pierre Thomas, whom coach Kevin Hayhurst calls “our best all-around player.” In addition, Thornwood boasts 6-5 Cornelius Jones, 6-9 Jeff Briny and a junior class that went 21-0 on the sophomore level.
6. Joliet
Comment: Tremendous collection of individual talent in search of cohesiveness after going 25-5 a year ago. The Steelmen have size in 6-7 Southwest Missouri State recruit Kellen Easley, 6-6 Jabari Saunders and 6-4 Jeremy Cartwright and speed in Brandon Shoemaker, Demario Edwards and point guard Branden Dillard, a transfer from Downers Grove South. “We’ll be able to go nine or 10 deep, and look for us to put a lot of pressure on the ball,” said Joliet coach Bob Koskosky.
7. Julian
Comment: The guard tandem of 6-3 Duke signee Sean Dockery and Mike Wilson might be second only to Proviso East’s all-Brown backcourt. Dockery (21 points, eight rebound, nine assists, five steals), who is rated among the top 20 players in the nation, is known for raising his teammates’ level of play. Feeding off Dockery’s leadership will be 6-5 sophomore J.J. Watson, 6-8 Omar Taylor, Terrell Quinn and 6-10 foreign-exchange student Ousmane Barro from Senegal. “Soccer was the sport he always played, but Ousmane is learning basketball very quickly,” said Julian coach Loren Jackson, whose Jaguars were 20-10 last winter.
8. Thornridge
Comment: Even in years when the talent was sparse, the Falcons were formidable thanks to the brilliant strategies of Mike Flaherty, one of the state’s top coaches. This season, look out. Thornridge could dominate behind 6-8 Indiana State signee Tristan Parham, 6-8 junior Mitchell Goforth and 6-7 Jonathan Bell plus Jeremy Massengale, 6-4 Deanta Hollins, Jeremy Bledsoe and Greg Benson. If Flaherty develops several consistent outside shooters to complement his inside strength, the Falcons will surpass last season’s 19-10 record.
9. Westinghouse
Comment: Coach Chris Head is a most demanding leader, and he realizes this year’s team has the potential to easily surpass last season’s 17-13 record and advance deep into the state playoffs. He’ll rant and rave and make sure talented athletes such as North Carolina-Greensboro signee Jamal Brown, 6-5 Richard Russell, 6-8 Byron Booker, Darius Glover and Brandon Williams maximize their abilities. Keep an eye on 6-4 Jamarcus Ellis, rated among the top sophomores in the state by talent scouts.
10. Young
Comment: Will battle Farragut, Westinghouse and Crane for supremacy in the Public League’s Red West behind 6-8 DePaul recruit Marcus White, 6-8 Bloom transfer Dwayne Curtis, 6-8 Julian transfer Michael Binns and talented juniors such as 6-5 DeWitt Scott, David Howard, Andre Knox and Anthony Harris. “This is our best team since ’98, when Quentin Richardson and those guys won state,” said Young coach Lamont Bryant, whose Dolphins were 14-11 last season. Six of Bryant’s top seven players will be back next year.
11. Crane
Comment: Public League runner-up that went 25-7 a year ago returns five of its top seven players, although the all-junior starting lineup will miss All-Stater Will Bynum, now starting at Arizona. The Cougars are tough inside with 6-8 Lorenzo Thompson and 6-6 Florentino Valencia, who was the most valuable player at Frank Rusnak’s High School Elite showcase of the top 50 juniors in the state. Thompson was chosen first-team all-tournament for that event, while guard Carl Marshall made the second team. The Cougars can also rely on guard Jamale Tidwell and guard/forward Tremel Gilot.
12. Shepard
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Comment: Coaches in the south suburbs believe the Astros would win either the SICA North or SICA South and might be talented enough to knock off Joliet in the SICA West. After going 23-5 last winter, they will hold their own in the SICA East against Bloom, Thornwood and Thornridge with a lineup featuring 6-6 George Washington-bound Mike Hall, 6-10 Reggie George, sharp-shooting guard Mike Smith, point guard Lorenzo Yelder and the “Pizza Man,” 6-1, 245-pound Jon Cleveland, who split his fall making pizzas and rushing for more than 2,200 yards for the Astros’ football team.
13. Lyons Township
Comment: Top returnees for a 28-5 ballclub that finished fourth in the state last season are 6-7 Northwestern signee Jim Maley (16 points, five rebounds) and 6-4 Cortez Forte. All-conference football player Chris Green takes over at point guard while 6-5 junior Clay Hadley and 6-3 post player Erik Gardstrom round out the starting lineup. Coach Conte Stamas is counting on some outside shooting from Bill Kluber, his best three-point shooter.
14. Brother Rice
Comment: The latest in a line of outstanding three-point shooters is 6-3 Ricky Harrigan, who continues the long-distance legacy of ex-Crusaders Ryan O’Reilly, Mark Telander, Vince Green, J.J. Konstant and Pat Harvey. In fact, everyone on this team that was 24-6 last winter can shoot. Another threat from beyond the arc is Brian O’Neill, while 6-6 Marty Masterson and 6-3 Ray Jendra will draw opposing big men out to the perimeter with their marksmanship. Point guard Danny Zackavec sets up the shooters, which also include 6-4 Dan Nolan and 6-3 Chris Kozlarek.
15. St. Rita
Comment: As if Catholic League opponents didn’t see enough of him in the fall, quarterback William Myles is a standout in basketball as well. The Catholic League’s best football/basketball player since ex-Mt. Carmel star Donovan McNabb heads up a young cast that includes juniors such as 6-8 Mike Rembert, 6-7 Jerrah Young and guard Rashay Russell, who has already made an oral commitment to Toledo. Rembert was chosen the top underclassman at last summer’s Blue Chip camp in Kentucky. The Mustangs, who could vastly improve on last year’s 14-13 mark, are also counting on 6-4 Matt Eastman.
16. Schaumburg
Comment: Nobody thought very highly of the Saxons last season until they toppled Thornwood to win the Class AA title. They have the same type of ballclub that went 29-3 a year ago–a deep rotation without any top stars. Leading the way is guard Tony Young and multitalented 6-3 sophomore Zach Pancratz. Coach Bob Williams is looking for big contributions from 6-5 senior Brandon Reichel, 6-7 sophomore Craig Reichel and 6-9 senior Tom Burke. Also watch for guards Garrett Bruni and Jim Kalcsits. “We have the potential to be as good as last season,” Williams said.
17. Von Steuben
Comment: This is not a misprint. Yes, a team from the Public League’s Red North Section–historically the weakest link in the city–has the talent to compete with the Farraguts and Julians. Back from last winter’s 21-5 ballclub are point guard Luke Rogers (18 points, seven assists), three-point shooter Brandon Davis and two standouts from the sophomore team city runner-up, 6-5 Ryne Hamblet and 6-5 Demetrius Evans. Also watch out for 6-7 St. Ignatius transfer Cole Monaghan, juniors Temi Soyebo and John Gardner and freshman point guard Angel Santiago. “We’d like to be the first North Side team to play for a city title,” said coach Vince Carter.
18. Dunbar
Comment: Last season’s 21-8 Public league semifinalist welcomes back 6-9 1/2 Ohio State signee Aaron Spears, talented 6-4 leaper Martell Mahon and point guard Terrence Foster. “Aaron is still growing,” said Mightymen coach Fate Mickel, “and I’m hoping he is 7 feet by the time the playoffs start.” The three-time Red Central champion also has 6-5 sophomore DeShawn German, 6-4 junior Pierre Glover and sophomore guard Anthony Hayes. “The team to beat in the city this year is Farragut,” Mickel said. “It seemed like that team won every tournament in the spring and summer.”
19. Evanston
Comment: Looking to better last season’s 23-5 record behind 6-4 Stacey Moragne, 6-6 junior Jonathan Blakley, point guard LaJon Survillion, 6-4 Stefano Foggi and guard Necus Mayne. Others to watch for coach Paul Pryma are Danny Greenberger and 6-5 sophomore Gordon Watt, who Pryma is hoping will develop strong team attitude. The Wildkits will battle age-old nemesis New Trier for Central Suburban South supremacy.
20. Stevenson
Comment: Former Proviso West assistant coach Pat Ambrose has things turned around in his third year heading up the Patriots’ program. Hoping to improve on last season’s 17-8 record, Stevenson will rely on 6-4 Division I recruit Rueben Trotter (15 points, eight rebounds), point guard Greg Zimny, 6-3 Tim Rylko and juniors 6-7 Mike Hierl and 6-4 Ted Ogilvie. The Patriots held their own in off-season comepetition against some of the better Public League teams.
Best of the rest: Morgan Park, Simeon, New Trier, Robeson, Neuqua Valley.
Players to watch
Guards
Dee Brown, 6-0, sr., Proviso East
Jamal Brown, 5-10, sr., Westinghouse
Shannon Brown, 6-3, jr., Proviso East
Joe Cortez, 6-3, sr., Lisle
Branden Dillard, 5-11, sr., Joliet
Sean Dockery, 6-3, sr., Julian
Colin Falls, 6-3, jr., Loyola
Chris Hobson, 6-3, jr., Eisenhower
Andre Knox, 6-2, jr., Young
Mike Lang, 6-3, sr., Gordon Tech
Carl Marshall, 5-10, jr., Crane
Marcetteaus McGee, 6-1, sr., Farragut
Jimmy Miles, 6-3, jr., Homewood Chr.
Charles Richardson, 5-8, jr., Proviso East
Luke Rogers, 6-0, sr., Von Steuben
James Romey, 6-2, sr., New Trier
Mike Smith, 6-2, sr., Shepard
Antonio Stamps, 6-2, sr., Vocational
Pierre Thomas, 6-3, sr., Thornwood
Andre White, 6-1, jr., Zion-Benton
Jay Thomas, 6-2, so., West Aurora
Forwards
Melvin Buckley, 6-7, sr., Thornwood
Joe Chapman, 6-4, sr., Bloom
Antonio Cool, 6-5, sr., Bloom
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Cortez Forte, 6-4, sr., Lyons Township
Mike Hall, 6-6, sr., Shepard
Dameon Mason, 6-6, jr., West Aurora
Dennard Montague, 6-6, jr., Farragut
David Moss, 6-4, sr., Thornwood
DeWitt Scott, 6-5, jr., Young
Rueben Trotter, 6-4, sr., Stevenson
Florentino Valencia, 6-6, jr., Crane
Alando Tucker, 6-4, sr., Lockport
Centers
Marcus Arnold, 6-8, sr., Morgan Park
James Augustine, 6-9, sr., Lincoln-Way C.
Ousmane Barro, 6-10, jr., Julian
Charles Bass, 6-9, sr., Crete-Monee
Chris Burras, 6-5, sr., Leo
Brandon Cole, 6-8, sr., Rich South
Ricky Cornett, 6-8, sr., Homewood Chr.
Kellen Easley, 6-7, sr., Joliet
Stanley Gaines, 6-7, sr., Prov.-St. Mel
Reggie George, 6-10, sr., Shepard
Jim Maley, 6-7, sr., Lyons
Tristan Parham, 6-7, sr., Thornridge
Elliott Poole, 6-6, sr., Farragut
Mike Rembert, 6-8, jr., St. Rita
Rome Sanders, 6-8, sr., Curie
Aaron Spears, 6-9, sr., Dunbar
Lorenzo Thompson, 6-8, jr., Crane
Mike Thompson, 6-10, sr., Providence
Marcus White, 6-7, sr., Young