2017 Basketball Preview: 20 questions and answers

SHARE 2017 Basketball Preview: 20 questions and answers
OB_CST_011817_503_66430183.jpg

The Crusader ‘Crazies’ going nuts for their team as Brother Rice hosts Marist, January 17, 2017 Allen Cunningham / For the Sun-Times.

Twenty questions and answers on the upcoming season.

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

Morgan Park senior Ayo Dosunmu is the clear preseason choice. The Illinois recruit was terrific last season and has had a tremendous rise from a White Division afterthought to elite status. Simeon’s Talen-Horton Tucker, an Iowa State recruit, is his number one challenger.

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

Dosunmu, Talen Horton-Tucker, Hinsdale South senior Zion Griffin, Belleville West’s 6-7 junior EJ Liddell and 6-9 junor Francis Okoro of Normal West.

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

Simeon and Young are the big favorites, followed closely by Curie. It’s a Public League-heavy season. It’s not out of the question that Niles North, Romeoville or Fenwick could make a run at the title, but those teams are severely outmanned by the city powers.

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

Most of the preseason Super 25 teams feel like Cinderellas. Larkin and West Aurora are both experienced, balanced squads that could go on big runs in March.

5. Who are the favorites in Class 3A?

Morgan Park is the overwhelming choice. It’s difficult to see anyone knocking off the defending champion Mustangs. Fenwick, last season’s runner-up, has been bumped to Class 4A. Bogan and Farragut are the only other local Class 3A teams that could mount a challenge. Decatur MacArthur, East St. Louis and Mount Vernon all have solid teams.

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

The Public League has ditched the four conference Red format. The Red now consists of two ten-team conferences, the Red South-Central and Red North-West. Each team plays every team in the conference just once. So there will only be one regular season Battle of Vincennes this season.

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

Griffin and Corliss big man George Conditt. Griffin was a mid-major level recruit when the season ended. He exploded this summer, picked up an offer from Kansas and eventually signed with Iowa State. Conditt, a 6-9 center, was unknown when the season ended and picked up 40 Division I offers over the summer.

8. Which players are worth traveling to see?

Dosunmu is this season’s star attraction. His decision to stay home and attend Illinois has made him a beloved figure across the state. Two sophomores, Morgan Park’s Adam Miller and Fenwick’s DJ Steward, are both top 50 national talents.

9. Which freshman is a budding superstar?

The early buzz is about Simeon guard Ahmad Bynum and Schaumburg big Chris Hodges.

10. Who is the most important transfer?

There were more than a dozen high-profile transfers over the summer. Maurice Commander leaving Marist for Curie could be the biggest. Xavier Pinson switching from St. Patrick to Simeon and Chase Adams going from Marian Catholic to Orr are major moves. Stay tuned for eligibility rulings on all the transfers.

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

Farragut junior Aaron Strong is vastly underrated based on his terrific sophomore season. Tyrek Cooper is a virtual unknown at North Chicago, he’s a tremendous shooter.

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

Lake Zurich, St. Joseph, Leo, Geneva, Bloom, Hillcrest, New Trier, Batavia, North Lawndale, Joliet Central, McHenry, St. Charles North, Libertyville, St. Viator and Joliet West will all likely crack the rankings at some point.

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

Simeon vs. Morgan Park, the Battle of Vincennes, is Dec. 7. But it is at Morgan Park, so there won’t be room for any fans. Young at Orr on Jan. 12 will be one of the best games in the state this season. Fenwick has three great games as well. The Friars face Young at Navy Pier on Nov. 26, play Morgan Park at Glenbard East on Jan. 20 and will host Simeon on Jan. 15.

14. What is the strongest conference in the area?

The Red South-Central is loaded. The Upstate Eight River should also be fun, it is strong from top to bottom.

15. Who are the top shooters?

St. Charles East’s Justin Hardy, Wells senior Antwone Lampkin, Cooper, Steward and junior Teon Nesbitt of Butler.

16. Who are the top freshmen?

Bynum, Hodges, Morgan Park’s Boopie Miller, Evanston’s Jaylin Gibson, Kamahri Wilson of Carmel and Niles North’s Jalen Butler.

17. Which sophomores will emerge as stars?

Miller and Steward emerged last season. Expect Farragut point guard Reggie Strong, Young’s Tyler Beard and Orr’s Demarius Splunge to break out this season.

18. Who are the area’s best big men?

Larkin’s Jalen Shaw, Curie’s Treavon Martin, Conant’s Ryan Davis and Morgan Park’s Tamell Pearson. Simeon’s Messiah Jones is only 6-5, but put him on the list as well.

19. Who are the top point guards?

Commander, Dosunmu, Pinson, Strong and Young’s Xavier Castaneda.

20. Who are the new coaches to watch?

Kevin Clancy takes over at Notre Dame. The Dons were terrific under Tom Les, so the pressure is on. Brian Zyrkowksi is the new coach at Libertyville. The Wildcats have Drew Peterson, one of the best seniors in the state.

The Latest
Alex Caruso has been looking for a defensive showing like the one he and his teammates put on display in the win over the Pacers, but Caruso also knows it needs staying power. Could Javonte Green help that process moving forward?
Christian I. Soto, 22, was charged with murder, attempted murder and home invasion, officials announced Thursday. Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd said earlier investigators haven’t determined a motive for the attacks.
Can a message generated by an algorithm ever match hearing from a human?
White Sox fans from all over will flock to Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday for the team’s home opener against the Tigers.
Despite the addition of some new characters (human and otherwise) the film comes across as a relatively uninspired and fairly forgettable chapter in the Monsterverse saga.