Michael O’Brien’s notebook: Nov. 2, 2017

It’s the first notebook since April 8. Welcome back! The season is quickly approaching (and I have a ton of nervous energy about tonight’s World Series Game 7 to burn off) so here we go.

PROVISO WEST ADDITIONS

Lincoln-Way West and its unconventional, do-it-all star Marco Pettinato was one of the major stories of last season. The Warriors upset Morgan Park in a supersectional, upset Peoria Manual in the Class 3A state semifinals before losing to mighty Belleville Althoff in the title game.

That run didn’t go unnoticed by Calvin Davis, the director of the Proviso West Holiday Tournament. Davis announced on Tuesday that the Warriors are one of the two new additions to this year’s Proviso West field.

Pettinato committed to Lewis over the summer and is back for his senior year. Nolan Green and Jay Bumstead also return for the Warriors.

Downers Grove North is the other addition to the Proviso West field. Trojans sophomore guard Sema’j Henderson was extremely impressive at the Riverside-Brookfield Shootout in June, he was one of the few area players to really step up and make a name at the event. Downers Grove North also has three starters back with 6-4 Keenan Davis, 6-5 Anthony Castelvecchi and 6-5 Bryan Jakobsze. Joe Henricksen wrote more on the Trojans a bunch of improved teams here.

Lincoln-Way West and Downers Grove North replace Dunbar and Cathedral Catholic from California. Morgan Park, St. Joseph, Fenwick, Morton, Larkin, Proviso East, New Trier, Providene-St. Mel, Hillcrest, Uplift, Proviso West, Young, Von Steuben and Bogan all return.

JOLIET WEST JOINS THE BIG-TIME

Joliet West returns just about everyone from last season’s 21-10 squad that lost to Benet at the NIU supersectional. The Tigers schedule has undergone massive changes. Joliet West and district-mate Joliet Central left the Southwest Suburban conference and have joined the Southwest Prairie. The move had little to do with basketball, it will lowers travel times for all sports and help both schools compete in football.

The Southwest Prairie isn’t quite as strong in basketball, but the Tigers’ high-profile this season has more than made up for that. Joliet West returns Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit Trevian Bell, Drake point guard recruit Teyvion Kirk along with 6-4 Teyvion Kirk, 6-3 junior Eddie Creal and 6-6 Tabyous Casterberry.

All that talent led to invitations to two of the state’s most prestigious shootout events. Joliet West will play North Lawndale in the Chicago Elite Classic on Dec. 3 at UIC and face Young in the When Sides Collide Shootout at Glenbard East on Jan. 21. It’s also possible that the Tigers will play Simeon and Curie at the Pontiac Shootout in December.

That’s four highly-ranked Public League teams in one season, which will be a major challenge. Joliet West lost to Simeon 74-41 last year at Pontiac and were beaten badly by the Wolverines at the Riverside-Brookfield Shootout in June.

MLK DAY TREAT

Fred Weintraub, the U-Too executive producer, has revealed one of the season’s highlight games. Fenwick will play at Simeon on January 16, Martin Luther King Day. The game will be televised live on U-Too. It’s very rare for a suburban team to play at Simeon. Wolverines coach Robert Smith said he doesn’t remember the last time it happened. The Friars upset Simeon in an overtime thriller last year in Oak Park.