The busy summer month of June begins this weekend for high school basketball teams across the state, and there’s no better tip-off to the offseason than the Riverside-Brookfield Shootout.
Over the years, the shootout has evolved into the top summer attraction for high school teams. This year is no different as 40 teams will play in a loaded field this Saturday and Sunday at Riverside-Brookfield.
This year’s field of teams includes the traditional heavyweights from the Chicago Public League –– Simeon, Morgan Park, Bogan, Curie and Young –– and out-of-state power St. Louis Vashon, which boasts a pair of top 100 talents in the country in their respective class: senior guard Mario McKinney and junior forward Cam’ron Fletcher.
Evanston, a team that finished third in the state last year and returns virtually everyone from that team, is the top suburban team in the R-B field.
There are several others teams expected to be ranked among the top 25 in the preseason who will be at R-B this weekend, including DePaul Prep, Marian Catholic, Homewood-Flossmoor, St. Viator, St. Rita, Uplift and Bloom.
Here is the complete schedule for Saturday and Sunday: Riverside-Brookfield Shootout.
R-B Shootout Notebook
Fenwick reboot: After five straight 20-plus win seasons and an ultra-impressive five-year run where Fenwick averaged 24 wins a year, the Friars will have a new look in 2018-2019, starting with head coach Staunton Peck, who took over the program after being Rick Malnati’s righthand man as an assistant coach.
After months of rumors, the tandem of star junior D.J. Steward and senior guard Damari Nixon have informed the basketball program they will not be returning to Fenwick. The Friars will be without Steward, one of the top 50 prospects nationally in the Class of 2020, and Nixon this weekend at Riverside-Brookfield.
Steward and Nixon have not yet decided where they will be headed for the 2018-2019 season.
Simeon addition: State power Simeon added a big weapon this week when Antonio Reeves moved back to Chicago and registered at Simeon on Tuesday. [Story here]. Reeves will make his Simeon debut Saturday at R-B.
State champions at R-B: This past year, Morgan Park became the 10th state champion to have played in the Riverside-Brookfield Shootout since 2013. Past state champions to have played in the event include Morgan Park (2018, 2017, 2014 and 2013), Young (2017 and 2014), Curie (2016), Stevenson (2015), St. Joseph (2015), Simeon (2013).
R-B to Peoria: Last March, Morgan Park, Marian Catholic, Larkin, Evanston and Young all reached the state semifinals in Peoria in Class 4A and Class 3A. All five played in last summer’s Riverside-Brookfield Shootout.
The best of pool play: While tournament and bracket play will begin Sunday, there are some intriguing pool play matchups Saturday to keep an eye on. Here are some of the best:
• Lincoln Park vs. Homewood-Flossmoor (8:30 a.m.). Saturday tips off with a fun, early matchup. H-F returns the bulk of its team while Lincoln Park has young talent and jet-quick senior Chris Roberts.
• DePaul Prep vs. Marian Catholic (11:30 a.m.). A pair of teams –– arguably the best from the Chicago Catholic League and the East Suburban Catholic Conference –– that will surely be preseason top 25 teams square off.
• Curie vs. St. Viator (11:30 a.m.). There will be a lot of perimeter firepower in this one, including Curie’s DaJuan Gordon and St. Viator’s Jerry Hernandez and Treyvon Calvin.
• Bogan vs. St. Rita (12:30 p.m.). Public League power vs. Catholic League power who are about two miles apart down 79th Street meet.
• Oak Park vs. Uplift (1:30 p.m.). Talented Oak Park, led by guard Dashon Enoch, takes on star senior Markese Jacobs and Uplift.
• Vashon vs. Bloom (1:30 p.m.). Quite possibly the best game of the first day at R-B.
Top five players to watch at R-B
Tyler Beard, 6-2, Jr., Young
Markese Jacobs, 6-0, Sr., Uplift
Cam’ron Fletcher, 6-6, Jr., Vashon
Mario McKinney, 6-2, Sr., Vashon
Adam Miller, 6-3, Jr., Morgan Park
Other top players to watch at R-B
Rashaun Agee, 6-7, Sr., Bogan
Myles Baker, 6-2, Sr., Young
Eddie Boston, 6-1, Sr., Downers Grove North
Trey Calvin, 6-0, Sr., St. Viator
Kejuan Clements, 6-0, Simeon
Perry Cowan, 6-4, Sr., DePaul Prep
Dashon Enoch, 6-1, Sr., Oak Park
DaJuan Gordon, 6-4, Sr. Curie
Sema’j Henderson, 6-1, Sr., Downers Grove North
Jerry Hernandez, 6-4, Sr., St. Viator
Jayden Johnson, 6-5, Jr., Batavia
Lance Jones, 6-1, Sr., Evanston
Bennett Kwiecinski, 6-7, Jr., Loyola Academy
Jordan Kwiecinski, 6-7, Jr., Loyola Academy
Dante Maddox, Jr., 6-2, Jr., Bloom
Martice Mitchell, 6-9, Jr., Bloom
Alijah Nelson, 6-0, Jr., Glenbard East
Donovan Newby, 5-11, Jr., Bloom
Jon Oden, 6-7, Sr., St. Rita
Blake Peters, 6-0, So., Evanston
Antonio Reeves, 6-5, Sr., Simeon
Chris Roberts, 5-11, Sr., Lincoln Park
Isaac Stanback, 6-4, Sr., Homewood-Flossmoor
Artese Stapleton, 5-11, Sr., Kenwood
Ahron Ulis, 6-1, Jr., Marian Catholic
Marquise Walker, 5-11, Sr., West Aurora
Jeremiah Washington, 5-9, Sr., Bogan
Marcus Watson, 5-10, Jr., Morgan Park
Keshawn Williams, 6-1, Jr., Bloom
Here is the complete schedule for Saturday and Sunday: Riverside-Brookfield Shootout.