TOP 10 TEAMS
1. Lake Forest (27-7): Having one of the state’s top players, Clemson signee Asa Thomas, gives the Scouts a great foundation. But returning starters Anthony Mordini and Tommie Aberle assure Lake Forest a semblance of balance for its quest to repeat as the North Suburban Conference champion. Bolurin Taiwo is poised for a breakout season.
2. Libertyville (27-8): Four senior starters return after the Wildcats lost in overtime in a sectional final last season. They thrived on the defensive end, holding opponents to 43.6 points per game. Jack Huber brings superior court vision at the point while also handling pressure well. His backcourt mate, Will Buchert, routinely checks the opponent’s top perimeter player, while Cole Bonder and Aidyn Boone lead the frontcourt.
3. Stevenson (20-9): The Patriots reached 20 wins for the eighth time in the past nine full seasons and have three starters back to help add to the streak. Forward Christian Uremovich is poised for a big season and will team with athletic guard David Sulnius to provide scoring punch. Hard-nosed Michael Maloney also returns to the lineup, while Aidan Bardic takes over point guard in his varsity debut.
4. Grayslake Central (22-12): The Northern Lake County Conference runner-up last season eyes the top spot with a large chunk of its rotation back. Point guard Dennis Estepp is a plus on-ball defender and makes those around him better. Other returning starters are center Jake Gibson and guard Michael Monahan, and the rotation will include guards Kai Taylor and Sam Cooper, both of whom can heat up quickly on offense.
5. Carmel (23-11): New coach Dmitry Pirshin is tasked with replacing more than 36 backcourt points per game from graduates Bryce Moore (Niagara) and Asher Jackson (Hargrave Military Academy). Guard James Dwyer, the Corsairs’ lone returning starter, will try to replace some of that. Peter Stavros is a returning glue guy. Guards Kaleb Jackson and Ethan Matz likely will get significant minutes.
6. Vernon Hills (20-12): The Cougars’ one known commodity is a good one, guard Milan Raval, the Central Suburban North player of the year last season and one of Lake County’s best scorers. Raval will get perimeter shooting help from Dylan Sherwin, and Dylan Chung assumes point guard duties. Nolan Lazor‘s length and athleticism down low create problems.
7. Lakes (14-15): Rugged forward Brock Marino, who worked on expanding his game to the perimeter, headlines a trio of returning senior starters. Tyler Anderson and Tyson Dewey are expected to assume more of the scoring burden while reprising their strong defensive play. The Eagles hope guard James Kania will take a big step forward.
8. Grayslake North (13-19): The Knights will lean on fourth-year starting guard Dominic Jankowski and forward Jacob Donohue
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, who is fresh off a record-setting fall season as the Knights’ quarterback. Jankowski, with 15 added pounds of muscle, needs just over 400 points to become the program’s all-time leading scorer. Guard Jayden Hunt returns to assume full-time point guard duties, and Tyler Morgan and Cameron Bates are being looked upon as key contributors.9. Deerfield (18-11): Headlining a largely untested but talented core are the 6-foot-8 Drew Rodgers, who offers a true post presence, and sophomore Quinn Schimanski, who takes over at the point. Jacob Cohn, back from a knee injury, and Miles Cohan, who is expected to make a big jump in production, also return.
10. Mundelein (12-17): The Mustangs have an enviable inside-outside combination with forward Chris Martin and point guard Derek Bishop. The duo played in just six games together last season due to injuries. Swingman Emmanuel Willoughby came on strong late, and guard Vinny Rogalski also returns. There’s more depth available to coach Matt Badgley this season.
25 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tommie Aberle, Lake Forest, junior, guard; Tyler Anderson, Lakes, senior, guard; Derek Bishop, Mundelein, sophomore, guard; Aidyn Boone, Libertyville, senior, forward; Braeden Carlsen, Wauconda, junior, forward; Desmond Collins, North Chicago, junior, forward; Izaiah Diaz, Waukegan, senior, guard; Jacob Donohue, Grayslake North, senior, forward; James Dwyer, Carmel, senior, guard; Dennis Estepp, Grayslake Central, senior, guard; Marshall Gehrke, Antioch, sophomore, forward; Jake Gibson, Grayslake Central, senior, center; Braylon Gray, Grant, sophomore, guard; Jack Huber, Libertyville, senior, guard; Dominic Jankowski, Grayslake North, senior, guard; Brock Marino, Lakes, senior, forward; Chris Martin, Mundelein, senior, forward; Adam Panek, Warren, senior, forward; Brendan Powers, Lake Zurich, senior, forward; Milan Raval, Vernon Hills, senior, guard; Drew Rodgers, Deerfield, sophomore, center; Sam Rohn, Highland Park, senior, guard; Josh Stewart, Warren, junior, guard; Asa Thomas, Lake Forest, senior, forward; Christian Uremovich, Stevenson, junior, forward.