Here’s another reminder that the high school basketball season in Lake County never really ends.
While football has center stage on Friday nights, boys basketball is booming on Sundays, and another new program is starting up this fall in Waukegan.
It’s called the Chicago Stats League, and it’s run in partnership with the Joy of the Game basketball program based in Deerfield.
This league, however, will be anchored at the Field House Sports and Fitness Center in Waukegan’s Hinkston Park, as well as at JOTG.
Heading this program will be a Warren grad with a pretty famous last name. Cliff Paul is the older brother of former Warren basketball stars Brandon Paul and Darius Paul.
While Brandon has been playing pro basketball professionally overseas and Darius is regrouping after being dismissed from the University of Illinois basketball team, Cliff has stayed active in the sport through his work with hoops programs, one of which is the Chicago Stats League.
Here’s what Cliff Paul said in a letter about the fall high school program.
“We are looking for both full teams and individual players for the league, which will begin Sept. 20. Any-level high school players are welcome to join the league, whether they have high school basketball plans or not.
“And not only are we looking for players, but the (Chicago Stats League) is also looking for high school students to join our staff in the areas of statisticians, scoreboard operation, sports writing and photography.”
Interested players and coaches can contact Paul at [email protected] or 312-931-5433. One of the league’s features is that complete stats are kept for every player in every game.
Last year’s league included players from nearly a dozen high schools, including Grayslake Central and Antioch.
Already, Deerfield, Maine South and Glenbrook North have signed up to play this year.
Leagues such as this have grown in popularity as they get players ready for the start of the high school season.
Appreciation for Antioch: During Week 2 of the prep football season, 6-year-old Harrison Victor, of Antioch, served as an honorary caption for Antioch’s football team at its home opener, a win over Moline.
The youngster, who is battling an illness, was invited to be part of the team and did pretty much everything a team member does except be on the field for the plays.
It was a night to remember, and all involved in the event expressed appreciation to Antioch football coach Brian Glashagel and his staff for making the event so special.
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There was a personal family connection with Antioch that led to “Captain” Harrison leading the team onto the field.
Said Harrison’s mother, Cara: “Antioch High School has been great. He had an opportunity to meet a lot of players and have memories for a lifetime.”
Schurr sits at Army: When Army lost 37-35 to Fordham in last week’s season opener, the stunning defeat to a Football Championship Subdivision school was not the fault of Libertyville grad A.J. Schurr.
Though Schurr, a senior, came into the season as the only Army quarterback who’d taken a snap in an NCAA Division I game, he didn’t take a single snap against Fordham as second-year Army coach Jeff Monken let untested sophomore Ahmad Bradshaw run the show.
Army runs the option, so Bradshaw had 20 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns, and was 6-for-14 passing for 107 yards, two TDs and a pick. He tried and failed to score on a two-point conversion run after a TD completed the scoring with less than three minutes to play.
Losing to an FCS school does not bode well for Army’s prospects this season.
Twitter @JeffBonato