Illinois HS Basketball News: Issue 38
Week of March 14, 2021: Week 6 of the 2021 season
That’s a wrap.
For everyone but the Chicago Public League, the 2021 surprise season is over. Given the circumstances, it was a resounding success.
For all the scheduling headaches, the precautions, the fan complaints and all the other noise, it seemed worth it for all the happiness and emotions we saw this week from the kids. They’ll always remember playing in the wildest season ever.
Let’s get to basketball!
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Chipotle Tournament of Champions
A tournament with no history. Several top Chicago-area teams unable to play. No teams from outside of Chicago. Some teams dealing with injuries.
Who cares?
The Chipotle Tournament of Champions was a fun way to wrap up the non-CPL season for any fan of high school hoops. I had friends texting me from out of state watching the finals.
For DePaul Prep, it was a piece of validation for an unbelievable senior class. It easily could have been Evanston, Notre Dame or Mundelein’s senior group hoisting that trophy, but on Saturday night it was the Rams. As Michael O’Brien wrote for the Sun-Times, this really mattered for those kids. Senior center Brian Mathews won the finals MVP; I wrote about the unheralded center after his commitment to UMass.
The other performance we’ll remember most was Evanston senior Blake Peters. Defenses made it tough on him at times, but he gutted through it led the Wildkits to the final. His three-straight threes in the second half against DePaul must have made Rams fans tighten up. Still, his game-winner over Notre Dame was the highlight of the tournament. What a way to wrap up a great prep career.
Conference Titles
Boys Titles
Here are most of the regular season conference title winners from around the state, though I need help on tournament winners. Shoutout to Nesto Hoops for his spreadsheet, which filled in some of the gaps.
“Jabian Acosta stands 6-foot-4. Conrad Luczynski is 7-2. Bartlett used that height advantage to top East Aurora in the UEC tourney final.” (Rick Armstrong/Aurora Beacon-News)
“Gavis Sarvis can score. And he can score in bunches. He had 18 points as Burlington Central ran away with the FVC Tournament title.” (Paul Johnson/Aurora Beacon-News)
“'The ultimate goal': Washington wins first Mid-Illini boys basketball tournament.” (Stan Morris/Journal Star)
“Defense, Zach Cleveland spark Normal Community to Big 12 boys title with eagerness for what next season might bring.” (Jim Benson/The Pantagraph)
“Balanced effort lifts Bartlett to Upstate 8 crown.” (Craig Brueske/Daily Herald)
“KJ Debrick lifts Lanphier to CS8 tournament title with game-winning basket to end the season.” (Jim Ruppert/The State Journal-Register)
“Kankakee boys win Southland Athletic Tournament crown.” (Cody Smith/Daily-Journal)
“Josh Harris, Timothy Christian go OT to win Metro Suburban Blue at Riverside-Brookfield.” (Joshua Welge/Shaw Media)
“Exclamation Point! NCOE caps season with GEC Title.” (Section 618)
Girls Titles
The girls conference title list is filling up but less complete. Please send any blanks my way.
“Hersey finishes undefeated season with dominant MSL title-game win over Fremd.” (John Leusch/Daily Herald)
Maine South won its first CSL South title since 2011. (Dion Martorano/Journal & Topics)
“Maine West claims another CSL North crown.” (Lou Nunez Jr./Daily Herald)
“Elana Wells heats up in third quarter with three 3-pointers as Burlington Central prevails in FVC Tournament final.” (Paul Johnson/Aurora Beacon-News)
“Riverdale girls top Sherrard to earn third straight TRAC West crown.” (Terry Duckett/Dispatch-Argus)
“Geneseo girls come back to beat Rocks, clinch Big 6 crown.” (Kyle Hartwick/Dispatch-Argus)
“Another first for Morton at inaugural Mid-Illini Conference girls basketball tournament.” (Wes Huett/Journal Star)
“Sinclair, Hare lead Bartlett to Upstate 8 title.” (Bob Narang/Daily Herald)
“Burlington Central topped Huntley to win the Fox Valley tournament.” (John Lemon/Daily Herald)
“Willowbrook rallies to win West Suburban tourney title.” (Joshua Welge/Shaw Media)
“Libertyville's approach does in Stevenson in NSC tourney finale.” (Bill McLean/Daily Herald)
“Winnebago girls beat Rock Falls to claim Big Northern Conference tournament title.” (WIFR)
“Make it a dozen straight Southwestern Conference titles for Edwardsville.” (Matt Kamp/The Intelligencer)
“Freshman Calli Kenny comes up big, helps rally Willowbrook past Lyons to West Suburban Conference tournament title.” (Joshua Welge/Shaw Media)
“Serena uses big third quarter in win over Newark to claim LTC title.” (Brian Hoxsey/Shaw Media)
Milestones and Awards
Player Milestones
All-Time Leaders
Wethersfield senior Colton Quagliano: scoring (2,219). (Story: Duckett/Dispatch-Argus)
Prairie Central senior Trey Bazzell: scoring (1,420). (Story: Randy Kindred/The Pantagraph)
Glenbard East senior Lauren Huber: scoring (1,248). (Story: Joshua Welge/Shaw Media)
Sterling senior Brooklyn Borum: rebounding (1,024)
Rolling Meadows senior Max Christie: rebounding (753+)
2,000-point scorers
Cobden senior Noah Franklin (2,015). He also eclipsed 500 career assists.
1,000-point scorers
Morton junior Katie Krupa. (Story: Wes Huett/Journal Star)
St. Edward junior Brooke Biggins. (Story: John Lemon/Daily Herald)
Serena junior Katie Baker. (Story: Shaw Local)
Princeton senior Jamie Reinhardt. (Story: Kevin Hieronymus/Shaw Media)
Sandwich senior Josie Ness. (Story: Shaw Media)
Altamont senior Kaden Eirhart. Story: Effingham 97.9)
Effingham senior Nathan Thompson. (Story: Effingham 97.9)
Coach Milestones
Lincoln boys coach Neil Alexander moved into second place in state history with 882 career wins. (Lincoln Courier)
Rock Island boys coach Thom Sigel won his 500th career game.
Oakwood boys coach Jeff Mandrell won his 500th career game. (Story: Colin Likas/News-Gazette)
Evanston boys coach Mike Ellis won his 400th career game.
Benet boys coach Gene Heidkamp won his 300th game at Benet.
Kankakee boys coach Chris Pickett won his 300th game.
DePaul Prep boys coach Tom Kleinschmidt won his 200th career game.
Taylorville boys coach Ryan Brown won his 100th career game.
Boys Features
“Mustang Rising: How a group of kids from the same Chicagoland neighborhood became one of this century's best Illinois boys basketball teams.” (Jon Kerr/The Kerr Report)
“Manny Garcia Makes Most of Time at Notre Dame La Salette and in U.S.” (Kaleb Carter/Illinois-Basketball.com)
“Remember the 2017-18 season? Round Lake does. Deveauntay McNeal, Hakim Williams and the Panthers won’t forget how far they’ve come.” (Nick Frazier/Lake County News-Sun)
“Junior forward Cooper Stacey earned a starting role and extensive minutes for Warren. His work’s not done yet.” (Nick Frazier/Lake County News-Sun)
“Lidell Miller, Morgan Park find rhythm with new look.” (Tim O’Brien/Beverly Review)
“As the torch passes, Rolling Meadows' Christie brothers soak it all in.” (Patricia Babcock McGraw/Daily Herald)
Girls Features
“Counting down the Gugliuzza girls basketball history at Lincoln-Way West is as easy as 3, 2, 1. Stay tuned because there’s more.” (Tony Baranek/Daily Southtown)
“A college offer. A captain’s role. Lincoln-Way Central’s Haley Stoklosa flips the senior leadership switch to ‘on.’” (Tony Baranek/Daily Southtown)
“Oregon State recruit Greta Kampschroeder goes out in style as Naperville North rolls past Waubonsie Valley.” (Matt Le Cren/Naperville Sun)
“Great defensive player. Emerging offensive threat. A top prospect in the nation. Benet’s Kendall Moriarty still sees best being yet to come.” (Matt Le Cren/Naperville Sun)
“Waukegan’s Mia Simpson learned from one of Lake County’s best players. The Morton College recruit’s best is yet to come, big sister Lacey says.” (Bob Narang/Lake County News-Sun)
“North Suburban Conference player of the year is up for grabs. Libertyville offers two choices.” (Bob Narang/Lake County News-Sun)
Quincy Notre Dame: “Embracing the moment: Father, daughter discover pride and joy sharing sideline for first time.” (Matt Schuckman/Herald-Whig)
Commitments
Fairfield 2021 shooting guard Landon Zurliene committed to D-II McKendree (Lebanon).
Nashville 2021 shooting guard Buzz Ritzel committed to D-III Illinois College (Jacksonville).
Sacred Heart-Griffin 2021 wing Emily Brenneisen committed to D-III Augustana (Rock Island).
Naperville North 2021 forward Alison Kickel committed to D-III Wisconsin-River Falls.
Schurz 2021 center Jasmine Bell committed to juco Oakton.
List of 2021 girls college commitments and 2021 boys college commitments.
Boys Recruiting News
St. Ignatius 2023 wing Rich Barron received an offer from D-I DePaul.
Glenbrook South 2022 wing Nick Martinelli received an offer from D-I Bucknell.
Timothy Christian 2022 wing Ben VanderWal received an offer from D-II Wisconsin-Parkside.
Curie 2021 guard Kendall Brasfield received offers from Knox and Trinity International.
Girls Recruiting News
Marian Catholic 2023 guard Brianna Hill received an offer from Virginia.
Joliet Catholic 2023 guard Jasmine Brown received an offer from Virginia.
Oak Forest 2023 guard Janae Kent received offers from Virginia and Vanderbilt.
Montini 2022 guard Sawyer White received an offer from NAIA Roosevelt and D-III North Central.
Coaching Stories and News
Former Van Steuben girls coach, IHSA ref and Grambling State star Sha Hopson died. This thread from Chi Hoops Express’ Jerald Davis shares what she meant to youth basketball.
“Higher calling leads Camardella to step down at Prospect.” (Dick Quagliano/Daily Herald)
Mater Dei girls coach Dave Kohnen retired with 636 career wins.
Brimfield boys coach Scott Carlson retired with 495 career wins.
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