Illinois HS Basketball News: Issue 32
Week of January 24, 2021
A true shocker of a week. Just when it seemed like hope for a season was running out, governor J.B. Pritzker and the IDPH have given us a realistic path to actual games. We’ll find out more on a schedule after Wednesday’s IHSA meeting.
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Let’s get to basketball!
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Illinois High School Basketball to Return
In a surprise announcement Friday, the IDPH said that all sports — that means basketball! — will be allowed when a region is in Phase 4. The feeling on social media going into the press conference was that sports cancellations were likely coming, but things went the other way. Increased pressure from the public, as well as from elected officials across the state feeling their own pressure, seems to have influenced the decision.
“Over the past seven months, I’ve received countless emails, letters, phone calls from students, from parents, from coaches and many others about youth sports,” IDPH director Ngozi Ezike said. “There have been organized protests about the issue. I hear and I see and I feel the passion around youth sports. I take very seriously the value that recreational outlets offer the physical and the mental health of our children. I also take very seriously the need to protect them.”
The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association also sent a letter to the state earlier in the week. Jon Kerr spoke to Illinois Basketball Coaches Association executive director Jim Tracy about the letter and how basketball can safely return on The Jon and Joe Show podcast.
Basketball Start Date Upcoming
The IHSA only heard from the governor minutes before the announcement, per the Sun-Times. The IHSA said it will release season schedules after Wednesday’s board meeting.
How seasons will overlap is still a major question for multisport athletes, including how basketball and football can coexist, as Troy Taylor examines for the Star Courier.
Criteria for Tier 4
Seven-day test positivity average below 6.5% for three consecutive days
Seven-day test positivity average above 20% for available hospital and ICU beds
No increased COVID patients in hospital, seven-day average over 7/10 days
Current Region Tiers
According to the Department of Public Health website, here are the current phases and tiers across the state:
Phase 4: Regions 3, 5 and 6
Tier 1: Regions 1, 2, 7, 10 and 11
Tier 2: Regions 4, 8 and 9
Other Notes
Up to 50 fans will be allowed in Phase 4
Masks must be worn during competition and practice
Contact days are unlimited until the season begins.
Reactions from Around the State
This was undoubtedly a positive day for players, coaches, administrators, parents and fans across the state.
Still, reactions weren’t uniform, as the various stages made for variation in confidence levels, and some people still are apprehensive of getting their hopes too high after months of frustration.
“'Praise the Lord': Local basketball players thrilled about chance to play games.” (Colin Likas/News-Gazette)
“This is more than what most people expected.” (Fred Kroner/Mahomet Daily
“The kids have hope now.” (Matt Kamp/The Edwardsville Intelligencer)
“It puts the fire back in the belly.” (Bob Narang/My Suburban Life)
“You can feel the excitement.” (Joe Stevenson/Northwest Herald)
Commitments
Geneva 2021 point guard C.J. Boberek committed to NAIA St. Ambrose (Iowa).
Geneva 2021 point guard Nathan Valentine committed to D-III Illinois Wesleyan.
Maine South 2021 forward Marko Anderson committed to D-III Illinois Wesleyan.
DePaul College Prep 2021 guard Cameron Lewis committed to D-III Connecticut College.
Trinity 2021 point guard Savanna Childress committed to D-III North Park. Kaleb carter wrote about Childress’ commitment and how Illinois girls are navigating an unconventional recruiting cycle for Illinois-Basketball.com.
Loyola Academy 2021 guard Silvana Scarsella committed to D-III Loras (Iowa).
Prospect 2021 forward Mia Gusloff committed to D-III North Central.
Dundee-Crown 2021 shooting guard Gianine Boado committed to juco Morton College.
Benet: “Meet Molly Sheehan, who will be one of the youngest college players in the country at Valparaiso. Her season begins Jan. 30.” (Matt Le Cren/Naperville Sun)
Benet: “Benet’s Molly Sheehan finds unique opportunity, enrolls early at Valparaiso to start college basketball career.” (John Lemon/My Suburban Life)
List of 105 2021 girls college commitments and 70 2021 boys college commitments.
Transfer News
Proviso East 2022 big man Sean Paige has transferred to Anderson (Indiana), according to Rob Hunt, and is awaiting eligibility approval. He was at Willowbrook as a sophomore and never played a game for Proviso East.
Morgan Park 2023 point guard Ahmere Carson also announced he’d transferred to Anderson.
Downers Grove South: Ty Butler left Downers Grove to play basketball this season in Tennessee. The junior has had to make many personal sacrifices, but he’s “grateful to be on the court.” (Joshua Welge/My Suburban Life)
List of 56 Illinois high school basketball players to transfer out of state since the end of the 2019-20 season.
Boys Recruiting News
Mount Carmel 2021 guard Jadyn Benson received an offer from NAIA Culver-Stockton (Missouri)
Bloomington Central Catholic 2021 forward Drew Hinderer received an offer from D-III Monmouth.
Peoria Christian: Senior Daniel Duncan, an all-state honorable mention, talked to Stan Morris of the Peoria Journal Star about training and recruiting during a pandemic.
Washington: Senior Devon Vanderheydt, an all-state honorable mention, also talked to Stan Morris of the Peoria Journal Star about training and recruiting during a pandemic.
Girls Recruiting News
Evanston 2022 wing Lola Lesmond received offers from Illinois and Yale.
Kenwood 2022 guard Whitney Dunn received an offer from Cleveland State.
Kenwood 2022 guard Brianna McDaniel announced her top five: Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Louisville, Texas and Georgia. McDaniel is the top-ranked junior in the state and a top-30 prospect nationally. Story from the Mississippi State 247 site.
Brimfield: Senior Haley Wallace, a second-team all-state player, spoke to Stan Morris of the Peoria Journal Star about training and recruiting during a pandemic.
Peoria: Aaliyah Guyton, the 14-year-old daughter of A.J. Guyton and Brazilian basketball star Adriana Moises Pinto-Mafra, received an offer this month from Vanderbilt and has interest from other D-I schools. She was set to play at her father’s alma mater Peoria before the pandemic hit. Will she stay in-state? (Story: Dave Eminian/Peoria Journal Star)
Coaching Stories and News
Larkin: Former Larkin coach Dom Cannata died at the age of 73 on Jan. 15. He coached high school hoops for more than 30 years, including a stint with Holy Cross in River Grove. His career record was 307-355. John Radtke with the story for the Daily Herald.
St. Bede: Girls head coach Tom McGunnigal was spotlighted by Kevin Hieronymus for the Bureau County Republican. He talks about his family, coaching career, his history with the school and basketball, and more.
St. Rita: Head coach Roshawn Russell spoke with CN100’s Camron Smith for his Sports Weekly Conversations series (Video).
Kenwood: Her Chi Culture spoke to Kenwood girls head coach Andre Lewis about his talented team (See: Recruiting), his coaching philosophy, alumni in college and more.
Illinois Players in the Pros
Notre Dame (Niles) graduate Matt Mooney had a “heartbreaking” couple of weeks, writes Dion Martorano for the Journal & Topics. Not only was he cut by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but also his father died.
Illinois Players in College
Kenwood: 2016 graduate Nick Robinson opted out of the rest of the season at Valparaiso.
Oswego East grad RayJ Dennis had multiple surgeries just to walk as a youngster. Now he’s a key contributor for Boise State. (Story: Idaho Press)
Rich South: “He made ESPN’s Top 10 plays of the day, but Malik Osborne remains prouder of work on anti-racism task force at Florida State.” (Pat Disabato/Daily Southtown)
“Naperville North grad Tom Welch and Loyola University feel plenty ‘comfortable’ while handing Valparaiso historic loss.” (Dave Melton/Naperville Sun)
Geneva: “Two season-ending injuries in two years. Undaunted, Geneva’s Maddy Yelle comes back even better than ever at Niagara.” (Rick Armstrong/Aurora Beacon-News)
Loyola Academy: Ramar Evans does a little of everything for Parkside men's basketball team
“Stagg graduate John Contant works way into being a leader scorer for Olivet Nazerene and in the CCAC.” (Jeff Vorva/Daily Southtown)
“Grayslake Central guard MK Drevline and older sister Rosie are excited to reunite at Denison: ‘We’ve always had basketball together.’ (Nick Frazier/Lake County News-Sun)
A list of all D1 men’s basketball players from Illinois.
A list of all D1 women’s basketball players from Illinois.
Other Stories and News
The Sun-Times and Joe Henricksen continued its countdown of the Chicago area’s top 50 winningest boys programs from the past decade: No. 10 Hillcrest; No. 11 Geneva; No. 12 Niles North; No. 13 Bolingbrook; No. 14 Maine South; No. 15 Riverside-Brookfield; No. 16 Notre Dame (Niles)
Another top boys programs of the decade list, this one from the Journal & Topics’ Martorano. Martorano also pulled a list of highlights from the sub-.500 programs.
The Bureau County Republican and Kevin Hieronymus also released their boys and girls all-decade teams.
Glenbrook North, Carbondale: The Sun-Times’ Michael O’Brien also continued his classic game re-watch series with Glenbrook North vs. Carbondale (2005). O’Brien asks: is Jon Scheyer the best high school player in state history?
Homewood-Flossmoor: Star Grace Hall had a second knee surgery, meaning her prep career is over, Tony Baranek writes for the Daily Southtown. Now she prepares for her college career at LSU. I did a Q&A with Hall about her commitment to LSU and more in the fall.
Naperville North: Senior Grant Johnson was an all-conference player as a junior. He’s been in touch with D-II and D-III schools, but recruiting in a pandemic is tough. The hardest part of the pandemic is all the work he’s done without being able to show it for his high school team. (Patrick McGavin/Naperville Sun)
St. Laurence: Rylie Galvin is now a junior on the girls basketball team and started her first two high school seasons. Tim O’Brien talked to her for the Beverly Review about hybrid learning, keeping in touch with teammates, no seniors on the team, goals for the season and much more.
Quincy Notre Dame: Dan Boltz was one of four individuals named to the school’s 2020 hall of fame class. Boltz was part of two teams in the 1950s that combined for 38 wins, then went on to play junior college basketball before two years at Florida State, averaging 11.8 rebounds per game for the Seminoles. (Herald-Whig)
Alden-Hebron: Bill Schulz, center on the 1952 state championship team, died Thursday at 86. He also played at Northwestern. Joe Stevenson’s story for the Northwest Herald included the workout made for Schulz by coach Russ Ahearn to turn the 6-10 big man into a better player.
Lyons: “First family of Lyons Township hoops: Niego family carries on quite a tradition over the years.” (Steven Metsch/My Suburban Life)
Herrin: “Where Are They Now? | Herrin's Gary Rafe was intimidating force in the paint.” For The Southern, John Homan writes about the best player on the 1972-73 team, a 1,000-plus point scorer who spent a year on Saint Louis’ team, studied at Harvard and is a member of the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame. Quite the story, worth the read.
“Why Pekin's virtual holiday basketball tournament was a success.” (Steve Stein/The Pekin Times)
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