Illinois HS Basketball News: Issue 28
Week of December 27, 2020
The last Illinois High School Newsletter of the year is here.
When I launched this more than six months ago, I didn’t know what to expect (though I certainly didn’t think I’d have yet to report from an actual game this season).
For the six months or so prior to the pandemic, I was covering more sporting events than I had been in years and loving it. But when the world came to a screeching halt, newspaper budgets were slashed, and I told my editors not to assign me stories, as this isn’t my livelihood (I work full-time in SEO and content and teach journalism classes at DePaul). This newsletter began as an outlet for my writing, for my interest in basketball. It was an opportunity to exercise my creativity while interacting more regularly with a community I enjoy.
Six months in, and I’ve published 28 of these things. Every week, no matter what. I took some crap for wrapping up a newsletter the groggy Saturday morning of my (small, mostly outdoors) bachelor party.
I published another while my bride-to-be got her hair and makeup done before our nuptials, and another on our honeymoon. (She encouraged these; what a catch!)
I wish we had some real live high school games to talk about, but I’ve enjoyed this run. I appreciated hearing from some readers throughout the year, and the fact that people have tuned in 16,000 times or so is pretty wild to me.
In 2020, I launched a newsletter and an Illinois high school basketball website. I will continue to do both in 2021, and hopefully do them better. I plan to publish more regularly, tell better stories and continue to build this community.
I don’t make any money off of these endeavors ($11.25 in ads on the website and counting!), and that’s ok! You certainly don’t get into high school sports writing for the money. But I would love to continue growing these communities, and I need you to do so.
Here are a list of things you can do to support the cause:
Share the newsletter with a coach, parent, writer or player who’d love it
Follow the site, or me or my fellow writer Kaleb Carter on Twitter
Send me news, story ideas or scores all 2021 long!
Thanks for listening, thanks for reading this year, and happy holidays to you and your families!
Let’s get to basketball!
Holiday Tournaments
Basically every week brings about feelings of where the basketball community would be if not for the pandemic. This week seems to have hit particularly hard without the holiday tournaments throughout the state.
Writers across the state felt that and wrote some excellent stories that remind us of those events and some of their best moments.
“Peoria girls basketball coaches share holiday tournament memories.” (Adam Duvall/Peoria Journal Star)
“Kankakee Holiday Tournament misses first year since inception.” Mason Schweizer/Daily Journal)
“‘It’s an amazing tournament’ Former players have fond memories of York’s Jack Tosh Holiday Classic.” (Bob Narang/My Suburban Life)
“‘A lot of good memories:’ Coaches, former players reminisce on rich history of Plano Christmas Classic.” (Joshua Welge/Kendall County Now)
“‘It’s so special’ Wheaton North’s Bill Neibch Falcon Classic has great meaning to Neibch family, area basketball fans.” (Matt Le Cren/My Suburban Life)
“Great hoop memories at Lady Bruins Classic.” (Kevin Chlum/BCRNews)
“Who Is The Most Impressive Player You've Seen At The Eldorado Holiday Tournament?” (Spyder Dann/Harrisburg Register)
“What's Your Best Eldorado Holiday Tournament Memory?” (Spyder Dann/Harrisburg Register)
“Reed Jackson's Rare Feat Likely Won't Occur Again.” He won three consecutive Eldorado Holiday Tournament MVP awards in the late 1980s, and he spoke to Spyder Dann of the Harrisburg Register about the tournament.
“[Athletic Director Peter] Goff, DeKalb still hoping longstanding Dayton tournament can happen.” (Eddie Carifio/Daily Chronicle)
Coaching Great Passes Away
Rich Herrin, a collegiate and prep coaching legend, died on Christmas day at age 87.
Herrin won 521 games coaching at Benton high school before taking over as the Southern Illinois head coach. He went on win 225 games for the Salukis, second most in school history.
In total he won 670 high school games, also leading Okawville and Marion.
Stories:
Commitments
The college commitments continue to come through for players across the state, especially at the Division III level. There are some really talented players in this group.
Northview 2021 guard Caleb Swearingen committed to NAIA Olivet Nazarene.
Rock Island 2021 SG Colton Sigel committed to D3 Carthage (Wisconsin).
Springfield 2021 PG Shane Miller committed to D3 Illinois Wesleyan.
Elk Grove Village 2021 SG Brandon Burns committed to D3 Hope (Michigan).
Timothy Christian 2021 SG Joshua Harris committed to D3 Illinois College.
Glenbrook South 2021 wing Eden Frick committed to D3 Wisconsin Whitewater.
Saint Viator 2021 forward Aubrey Horbach committed to D3 Loras (Iowa).
Early in December, St. Ignatius 2021 guard Lauren McDonald made her college decision. She’ll be joining her sister at Air Force, writes Tim O’Brien for the Beverly Review.
List of 2021 girls college commitments and 2021 boys college commitments.
Transfer News
“Roanoke-Benson's Luke Braman to play basketball in Florida for a couple months.” (Jim Benson/The Pantagraph)
List of Illinois high school basketball players to transfer out of state
Boys Recruiting News
Lockport 2021 guard Matt Deksnys received an offer from NAIA Trinity International.
Girls Recruiting News
Thornton 2021 SF E’Laiyah E. Heard received offers from jucos Iowa Western and Moraine Valley.
Coaching Stories and News
“Chris Brown takes over Erie-Prophetstown girls hoops program.” (Terry Duckett/Dispatch Argus). Brown graduated from Erie and had been an assistant with the boys team.
“First-year head coach Maggie Molek eager for Ridgewood girls to take the court.” (Terry Duckett/Dispatch Argus).
“Where Are They Now ? | Scott Burzynski remains Black Diamond Conference's all-time leading scorer, rebounder.” He’s currently head boys coach at Johnston City. (John Homan/The Southern)
COVID-19 Updates and News
“Will fans be allowed at IHSA events? If so, here are the guidelines.” (Troy Taylor/Star Courier)
“High school and college basketball coaches reflect on what they learned in a year when nothing was normal.” (Joe Henricksen/Sun-Times)
“With county gyms locked, Calhoun turns to ‘driveways or machine sheds.’” (Greg Shashack/The Telegraph)
Illinois Players in the Pros
Journal & Topics area players Jalen Brunson, Jahlil Okafor, Abdel Nader, Matt Mooney and others are ready for the NBA season, writes Dion Martorano.
The Phoenix Suns claimed Benet graduate Frank Kaminsky off of waivers after he was released by the Sacramento Kings.
Illinois Players in College
Duke freshman DJ Steward (Whitney Young, Fenwick) was ACC Freshman of the Week.
“Local connection working well at UAB for Geneva graduate Margaret Whitley and St. Charles East graduate Sara Rosenfeldt.” (John Lemon/Daily Herald)
“Mother McAuley’s Tara O’Malley experiencing ‘surreal’ comeback as junior walk-on guard at Illinois.” (Tony Baranek/Daily Southtown)
“Mother McAuley graduate Hannah Swiatek nursing collegiate dreams at University of St. Francis.” (Tim O’Brien/Beverly Review)
“Former Metea Valley guard Matt Helwig ready for greater role with North Central College this season: ‘Our expectations are to win conference again.’” (Paul Johnson/Aurora Beacon-News)
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 Chicago Sun-Times continued its series on the top 50 winningest Chicago-area programs of the decade:
Classic high school basketball game rewatch: Quentin Richardson and Young beat Galesburg (1998). (Michael O’Brien/Sun-Times)
“Maine West graduate Kerry Wegrzyn Earns Hall Of Fame Nod.” (Dion Martorano/Journal & Topics)
“Moira Kennelly Joins Sister Nancy Kennelly In IBCA Hall of Fame.” (Dion Martorano/Journal & Topics)
“A look back: Cary-Grove, Huntley made 2001 a special year for McHenry County basketball.” (Joe Stevenson/Northwest Herald)
“South suburban basketball Jalen Miller (Rich Central/Governors State) star finds niche working in healthy living food pantry.” (Jeff Vorva/Daily Southtown)
“Nearly 100 years old, Gates Gym may be torn down in plan to overhaul New Trier’s athletic facilities.” (Martin Carlino/The Record North Shore)
Barry McNamara is writing a 10-part series on the 1981-82 Monmouth Zippers that made a run to the state title. “Part 1: Monmouth Zippers prepped for a state run” and “Part 2: ‘Wallowing in inexplicable apathy,’ Zips drop pair” are out already.
“The Griffins’ win that won’t be forgotten.” Matt Kamp wrote about Father McGivney’s upset of No. 3 Jacksonville Routt in the sectional final. Kamp shares how historic of a season it was for FMCHS.
“Senior Spotlight>Luke Kelty (Hall High School).” (Kevin Hieronymus/BCRNews)
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