Each boys basketball team in the West Suburban Silver has a reason to be favored to win the championship, but also has just as many question marks that cast doubts.
Oak Park-River Forest won four West Suburban Silver titles in the 2000s, but this decade hasn’t been as kind to the Huskies. OPRF took conference championships in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 and most recently in 2012.
Despite losing two key starters from last year’s third-place team, OPRF rates an edge in the Silver this season. Huskies guard Dallis Flowers has graduated, while sophomore forward Alan Griffin moved to Orlando.
Griffin scored a game-high 16 points in OPRF’s final win last season, a 66-43 victory over Leyden in the Class 4A playoff opener. The son of former Bulls assistant coach Adrian Griffin, Alan played with OPRF over the summer, but his family moved to Florida in August after Adrian Griffin joined the coaching staff for the Orlando Magic.
OPRF is still drawing plenty of respect. Comcast SportsNet ranked the Huskies at No. 16 to begin the season.
“While it’s an honor to have this preseason accolade, it is just that, preseason,” OPRF coach Matt Maloney said. “We have a great deal of work to do before our first game, let alone conference play.”
Senior guard Breshawn Wilkerson, a standout two-way player for OPRF’s playoff football team, is the top returning starter and an all-conference selection. Starting guard Connor Fuller also returns, along with part-time starters Cameron Gross and Jared Scott.
But Lyons, the defending conference champion, is not willing to relinquish the title so easily, with returning starters and cousins Connor and Noah Niego back. Their top scorer last year, Harrison Niego, is a walk-on at Indiana.
“I like our chances,” Lyons coach Tom Sloan said. “I’m happy about this group. I’m happy about the way they go about their business.”
Hinsdale Central graduated all five of its starters, including Matt Rafferty, who suffered injuries toward the end of last season and missed eclipsing Brian Wardle’s career scoring record at Hinsdale Central. Rafferty already scored 16 points and had nine rebounds off the bench in his first game for Furman last week.
Peter Blust, a 6-8 senior, is the Red Devils’ top returnee and is gaining college interest after a strong offseason. One of the conference’s most intriguing newcomers is Hinsdale Central’s Jack Hoiberg, a 5-10 junior guard who is the son of new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg. Jack Hoiberg moved from Iowa after leading Gilbert to a 20-4 record last season.
York placed fifth in the conference last season and looks to find a replacement for leading scorer Jayvon Thomas, who is playing for a junior college in Colorado. The Dukes are seeking their fourth consecutive regional championship this season.
“I also think our team will be in the mix,” York coach Vince Doran said. “It should be an exciting season in the Silver.”
The top returning player in the conference is likely Glenbard West’s 6-foot-6 forward, Justin Pierce, a William and Mary recruit, who averaged 18 points per game last season. Glenbard West finished sixth in the conference.
Hinsdale Central Red Devils
Coach: Nick Latorre, entering sixth season
Returning players: Sr. G Drew Shepherd, Sr. G Bradley Huth, Sr. F Ryan Cohen, Sr. G Alex Wallace, Sr. C Michael Claussen, Sr. G Austin Schwartz, Sr. F Peter Blust.
Last season: 23-7 overall, 8-4 West Suburban Silver; lost in Class 4A East Aurora Sectional final to West Aurora, 60-55
Lyons Lions
Coach: Tom Sloan, entering eighth season
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Returning players: Jr. F Connor Niego (9 ppg, 5.5 rpg), Jr. F Noah Niego (3 ppg, 3 rpg), Jr. G Montel Blackwell, Sr. F Kyle Hornacek, Sr. G Nolan Delaney
Last season: 23-6 overall, 10-2 West Suburban Silver; lost in Class 4A regional final to Metea Valley, 60-57
Oak Park-River Forest Huskies
Coach: Matt Maloney, entering eighth season
Projected starters: Sr. G Breshawn Wilkerson (10 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.5 spg), Sr. G-F Connor Fuller (9 ppg, 5 rpg, 1.5 spg), Jr. F Cameron Gross, Jr. F Jared Scott, Sr. F Deandre Enoch Deandre Enoch
Last season: 17-10 overall, 7-5 West Suburban Silver; lost in Class 4A regional final to Riverside-Brookfield, 67-61
York Dukes
Coach: Vince Doran, entering fourth season
Returning players: Sr. G Ryan Camp (6 ppg), Sr. G Jack Morrissey (5 ppg), Sr. F Patrick Grabowski (6 ppg), Sr. G Jack Julian (4 ppg)
Last season: 18-13 overall, 5-7 West Suburban Silver; lost in Class 4A East Aurora Sectional semifinal to West Aurora, 66-48
Twitter @geomwilcox