BOYS BASKETBALL Share: Henricksen: A dozen on a crusade for recognition Joe Henricksen For Sun-Times Media | @joehoopsreport Nov. 24 5:03 p.m. RELATED ARTICLES Henricksen: 40 must-see matchups Nov. 18 10:36 p.m. Jalen Brunson odds-on favorite in Player of Year race Nov. 17 6:48 p.m. No more Jahlil Okafor, but Young still determined to make deep run Nov. 10 7:54 p.m. Simeon’s Isaiah Moss commits to Iowa Nov. 2 6:20 p.m. Henricksen: Why Ivy League hoops makes so much sense Oct. 27 9:19 p.m. De La Salle ‘fired up’ for Catholic League play Oct. 26 3:55 p.m. A day after releasing the City/Suburban Hoops Report’s preseason Chicago area power rankings, an in-depth look at the top 25, there are a dozen other teams I’m aching to touch on as the season tips off. They’re all looking for a little recognition, and it won’t take long to grab some. Several of these programs will find their way into the rankings at some point this year, with a few just missing cracking the initial power rankings. Here is a rundown of a dozen sleepers who will make life difficult for league favorites and be a threat when March rolls around. ➤ PLAINFIELD NORTH Although the Tigers were beaten by West Aurora in the regional final last March, this is still a team that won 21 games and returns four starters. Among those returning starters is high-scoring guard Trevor Stumpe. The 6-4 guard, who is headed to Wofford after putting up over 20 points a game last season, will keep the Tigers dangerous. And keep an eye on up-and-coming junior Kevin Krieger. Another versatile 6-4 guard, Krieger averaged 10.8 points a game last season as a sophomore. ➤ OSWEGO While the talk in the Southwest Prairie centers around Plainfield — both East and North — the Panthers are going to be one to watch. First-year head coach Matt Borrowman takes over for Kevin Schnable and has virtually everyone returning from last year’s team, including Zach West (19.4 ppg), a Grand Valley State recruit. Brice Robinson, a 6-7 junior, sophomore guard Jaylen Jones and junior Malique Ross have all made considerable strides since last March. ➤ FENWICK While ranked by others, coach Rick Malnati’s team falls in the “sleeper” category for me as it must replace more than people realize. Gone are 6-6 Northwestern recruit Scott Lindsey and 6-8 Penn recruit Dan Dwyer, who came on strong in the second half of the season. But the loss of 6-6 Thomas Planek, a leader, defender and a player who provided maximum effort and toughness, is going to be difficult. But there is enough potency in the backcourt, led by junior point guard Mike Smith, to be more than competitive. And if 6-4 sophomore Jamal Nixon comes along at a fast rate, the Friars will be a tough out by March. ➤ LEO Don’t sleep on Noah Cannon’s Lions as Leo has its best team since reaching Peoria in 2009. Darius Oliver, who averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds a game last year as a sophomore, is a sleeper in his own right. Oliver and junior guard Darius Branch are two of five returning starters and six key players back from a team that reached a Class 2A sectional final. ➤ VOCATIONAL The Cavaliers will have a beast of a time playing the likes of Simeon, Bogan and Morgan Park in the Red-South. But if coach Chris Pickett can get some quality guard play to go with the long, active, athletic trio of 6-6 senior Keeshawn Palmer, 6-5 wing Sidney Mason and up-and-coming 6-7 junior Jordan Bell, Vocational has a chance to be a threat. But losing and replacing graduated guards Michael Taylor and Dionte Ingram, who combined for 28 points a game last season, will be a tough task. ➤ ST. VIATOR So much has been made of the losses — Ore Arogundade graduated, Roosevelt Smart transferred and coach Mike Howland has moved on — people forget what’s still left behind, which is an East Suburban Catholic Conference favorite. Point guard Mark Falotico, wing Pat McNamara and 6-6 Sal Cannella all return from a 23-win team. ➤ THORNTON The Wildcats won 21 games last year and returns several key players, including four seniors who started a year ago in Leslie Wilson, D’Quan Applewhite, Keondre Woods and Brian Davis. Plus, the junior group went unbeaten last year as sophomores. Thornton, Thornwood and Bradley-Bourbonnais will highlight what should be a fun race in the Southwest Suburban Red. ➤ GENEVA There is size — a lot of size — and that includes the talented Nate Navigato (18.3 ppg), a 6-6 seasoned veteran who has signed with Buffalo and simply has a knack for putting the ball in the hole as well as anyone in the western suburbs. The Fuzak brothers — 6-10 senior Chandler and 6-7 junior Bennett — have transferred in from Wheaton Academy and will be a big boost. Loudon Vollbrecht, a 6-8 junior, also returns. The Vikings had a breakthrough season last year, winning their first regional in 26 years and the most games since 1963. However, it will need to find some sound guard play from somewhere if it wants to match what it did a year ago. ➤ LYONS Everything starts with senior guard Harrison Niego, a varsity stalwart who remains one of the under-appreciated players in the Chicago area. But LT will be better than last year’s 17-win team because of another Niego — 6-6 sophomore Connor Niego. Add the senior trio of 6-3 Joe Brunner, 6-4 Sean Lannan and 6-2 Jaquan Phipps to the mix and coach Tom Sloan has a group ready to compete for a West Suburban Silver title. ➤ RIVERSIDE-BROOKFIELD The Bulldogs seem to always have the “sleeper” label attached to them, but that’s just because R-B is a sure thing in that role. Coach Tom McCloskey’s program competes and wins consistently. This year the Bulldogs have so many different pieces, including some intriguing young talent in juniors Daniko Jackson and 6-6 Mark Smith, along with sophomores Henry Trelenberg and Jalen Clanton. ➤ ST. CHARLES EAST Maybe you’ve heard — I’m a big Cole Gentry fan. The pure point guard is the reason why it’s easy to get excited about the Saints’ prospects this season as an Upstate Eight River sleeper. This is a team with three straight second-place conference finishes. With Gentry as a catalyst, along with shooters around him in Jake Clodi and junior James McQuillan and an improved big man in 6-8 Jack Bronec, the Saints hope to make a run at league favorite Geneva. ➤ ZION-BENTON The Milik Yarbrough era is over. That’s no small thing when you’re talking about a player who finished his career among the top 20 scorers in state history with 2,621 points. So, too, is the Don Kloth era, a coach with 528 wins who is no longer running the program. But Admiral Schofield is poised to break out after a solid junior year and an even better spring and summer on the AAU circuit. Follow Joe Henricksen and the Hoops Report on Twitter @joehoopsreport Tags: Joe Henricksen 0 Comments Name Email Comment Daily Scores and Highlights 2014-15 Basketball Schedule Beth Longs Super 25 VIDEO: HSCNS YouTube Channel
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 13:09:10 +0000
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