Basketball Preview: 20 questions and answers

1. Who is the best player in the Chicago area?

It’s never been more difficult to answer this question. Well, at least not in the last 20 years. There are several contenders: Evanston’s Nojel Eastern, Stevenson’s Justin Smith, Thornton’s Alonzo Verge and Morgan Park junior Ayo Dosunmu. Eastern enters the season as the best player, but just by a hair.

2. Which players are on the preseason All-State team?

Eastern, Smith, Verge and two downstate players: Belleville Althoff guard Jordan Goodwin and East St. Louis center Jeremiah Tilmon.

3. Which teams are the favorites to win Class 4A?

Curie, which returns seven players from last season’s 4A champs. The Condors have size, a great lead guard in Elijah Joiner and experience. But they aren’t significantly better than any team in the top ten, things are very wide-open this season.

4. Is there a team that could make a Cinderella run?

Young is loaded with talent. If the Dolphins manage to put everything together it wouldn’t be a surprise to seem them playing for the state title in March. Several talented juniors would have to step up to make it happen, but it is very possible.

5. Who are the favorites in Class 3A?

Big changes in Class 3A, with the success factor moving St. Joseph and Belleville Althoff up to Class 4A. That makes Class 3A, which has been extremely weak overall the past few years, even weaker. Morgan Park, Hillcrest and Peoria Manual are the clear favorites. Bogan and Fenwick are serious contenders.

6. What’s the most interesting development for this season?

It appears the talent has shifted from the North suburbs to the South suburbs. The city is as strong as ever, but several South suburban teams have a shot to accomplish big things this season. Joliet West, Thornton, Bolingbrook, Hillcrest, Marian Catholic and Homewood-Flossmoor are all in the preseason Super 25.

7. Which players have improved the most since last season?

Two point guards: Conant’s Jimmy Sotos and Joliet West’s Teyvion Kirk. They both entered the club basketball seasons as definite college prospects, but elevated their play and became highly-sought after recruits.

8. Which players are worth traveling to see?

Thornton’s Alonzo Verge and Morgan Park’s Ayo Dosunmu are the area’s two most electrifying talents. Verge, who is back after a year in Florida, plays with flair and attitude and is the state’s best scorer. Dosunmu is poised for a massive year with the Mustangs, his game is similar to former Peoria Central star Shaun Livingston.

9. Which freshman is a budding superstar?

Morgan Park’s Nimari Burnett is the most highly-regarded freshman in the area. He only lost one game as an eighth grader at Beasley last season. The guard actually held a press conference this summer to announce he was becoming a Mustang.

10. Who is the most important transfer?

Verge at Thornton. The high-scoring guard immediately turned the Wildcats into a ranked team and possible threat for the Class 4A state title.

11. Who are the most under appreciated players in the area?

St. Joseph guard Jason Towers is a major talent. His baseline slam was one of the signature moments last March in Peoria. He’s unlikely to be an academic qualifier, so he isn’t receiving the same recruiting buzz that a lot of his peers are. Fenwick’s Jacob Keller is also flying under the radar. He’s the quarterback of the Friars’ football team and hasn’t decided which sport he’s playing in college. The 6-2 guard seemed to improve every month last season.

12. Which teams were overlooked in the preseason Super 25?

It’s a long list, there is plenty of parity this season. Expect Waukegan, Jacobs, Bloom, Oak Park, Riverside-Brookfield, Romeoville, Stagg and Prospect to each crack the rankings at some point.

13. What is the must-see game of the year?

Until further notice, nothing can top Morgan Park vs. Simeon, the Battle of Vincennes. The games are currently scheduled for Dec. 23 and Jan. 24, but that is far from set in stone.

14. What is the strongest conference in the area?

The Red-West takes the crown from the Red-South this season. North Lawndale, Young and Orr are all ranked and Westinghouse, Farragut and Marshall are tough.

15. Who are the top shooters?

Verge, Morgan Park’s Cam Irvin, Downers Grove South’s Denis Alibegovic, Simeon’s Kenny Pitman, Riverside-Brookfield’s Henry Trelenberg

16. Who are the top freshmen?

Burnett and Fenwick’s DJ Steward are the two big names in the area. Peoria Manual freshman Adam Miller is considered the best in the state.

17. Which sophomores will emerge as stars?

Last year was a big year for area freshman, so the stars in the class are well established. Expect New Trier’s Ciaran Brayboy, Providence-St. Mel’s Taeyon Neal, Bolingbrook’s Joseph Yesufu, Evanston’s Lance Jones and Oak Park’s Dashon Enoch to emerge.

18. Who are the area’s best big men?

Not a banner year for bigs. Cam Krutwig of Jacobs and Treavon Martin of Curie are the two standouts.

19. Who are the top point guards?

Dosunmu, Kirk and Sotos make up the top tier. St. Joseph’s Marquise Walker and Uplift’s Markese Jacobs are two top sophomore point guards.

20. Who are the new coaches to watch?

Two legends, Mount Carmel’s Mike Flaherty and St. Ignatius’ Rich Kehoe, have retired. Matt Monroe takes over at Iggy and Phil Segroves is the new Caravan coach.