Twenty questions and answers about the upcoming high school basketball season.
1. Who is the best player in the area?
This is a much tougher question than usual, but the nod goes to Warren’s Jaxson Davis. It’s rare for a sophomore to be considered the best player in the state. But Davis’ play as a freshman was undeniably special.
2. Which players are on the preseason All-State team?
Davis, Bolingbrook’s Davion Thompson, Metamora’s Matthew Zobrist, Waubonsie Valley’s Tyreek Coleman and big man Nick Allen of Bradley-Bourbonnais.
3. Which local teams are the favorites to win Class 4A?
Bolingbrook, Warren, Rich, Benet and defending champion Homewood-Flossmoor make up the top tier of contenders.
4. Is there a team that might make a Cinderella run?
Waubonsie Valley has several new faces and should improve throughout the season. Coleman and senior Moses Wilson are a dangerous, dependable combination. Kenwood has as much talent as any team in Class 4A and it is possible sophomore Devin Cleveland establishes himself as the best player in the state this season.
5. Who are the local favorites in Class 3A?
Defending champion DePaul Prep opens the season as a heavy favorite with Simeon and Mount Carmel up next.
6. What’s the most interesting development for this season?
Has the Public League left the spotlight? There isn’t a Public League team in the top five of the rankings. Young’s Antonio Munoz appears to be the only senior in the conference with a shot at Player of the Year honors. Keep an eye on Cleveland though. If he lives up to expectations that will keep a Public League team firmly in the state title conversation.
7. Which players have improved the most since last season?
Glenbard West’s TJ Williams and Hinsdale Central’s Vincas Buzelis played their way onto the preseason list of the area’s top 50 players. Also keep an eye on Oswego East junior Mason Lockett, who could become a star.
8. Which players are worth traveling to see?
The three sophomores, Cleveland, Davis and Thompson, are the area’s star attractions.
9. What are the top teams from outside the area?
Quincy and Moline are state title contenders in Class 4A. The Blue Devils have three excellent seniors in Bradley Longcor (Santa Clara), Dom Clay (Austin Peay) and 6-5 Keshaun Thomas. Moline features 6-4 Trey Taylor and 6-5 Braden Freeman (Cal-Poly). Metamora, led by Zobrist, and Mt. Zion, with Lyncoln Koester and 6-7 JC Anderson are the early Class 3A contenders.
10. Who is the most important transfer?
There were several hundred transfers, but not many that were major. Al Brooks Jr. leaving Hansberry for Rich turned the Raptors into serious contenders in 4A. Gabe Sularski’s move from Benet to Lemont took the Redwings out of the conversation for the preseason No. 1 ranking and raised Lemont’s profile for the next two seasons.
11. Who is the most under-appreciated player in the area?
Oak Lawn senior Donte Montgomery. The 6-2 guard averaged 21 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and two steals last season and posted games of 38 and 36 points. Montgomery is also a fun player to watch, scoring with style and daring.
12. Which teams were overlooked in the preseason Super 25?
DeKalb, Lake Forest, Glenbard West and Waukegan are the top teams outside the preseason rankings. Marist deserves a special mention. The RedHawks were poised to be one of the top 15 teams in the area before Achilles Anderson and Stephen Brown were injured during football. Anderson is out for the year while Brown is expected to miss around two months.
13. What is the must-see game of the year?
Mark Jan. 25 on the calendar. Preseason No. 1 Bolingbrook and No. 2 Warren will face off in a shootout at Benet. Any matchup of Thompson vs. Davis will fill seats for the next three years.
14. What is the strongest conference in the area?
The Public League’s newly constructed Red Shield conference takes the title away from the Catholic League Blue. There isn’t a top-five preseason team, but Simeon, Kenwood, Young, Lincoln Park and Curie are ranked. Lane and Westinghouse are both solid as well.
15. What is going on with the shot clock?
This season will be the same as the last two, with the shot clock used at approved regular-season tournaments and shootouts. The Illinois High School Association will require the 35-second shot clock to be used in all varsity games starting in the 2026-27 season.
16. Are there any changes to the state tournament this season?
The three-day state finals format remains, but the third place and semifinal times and days have moved around. The Class 3A semifinals are now on Thursday night and the 4A semis are on Friday night.
17. Who are the new coaches to watch?
After a few years of major turnover there are just two new names in the preseason Super 25. Kenwood assistant principal Joseph Mason has taken over for Mike Irvin this season. Roshawn Russell, the former St. Rita coach, is the new coach at St. Laurence.
18. Which sophomores will emerge?
This will be one of the season’s most intriguing questions. Keep an eye on West Aurora’s Travis Brown, Kaneland’s 6-9 Jeffrey Hassan, Jamarri Fears of Romeoville and Glenbrook South’s Jacob Fuller.
19. Who are the best big men in the area?
It’s a very down year for bigs. ISU recruit Nick Allen (6-10) should put up impressive numbers at Bradley-Bourbonnais. Lane’s Dalton Scantlebury (6-9) had an excellent summer and Benet seven-footer Colin Stack has an intriguing all-around game. Niles North’s Hunter Gawron (6-5) and Bolingbrook’s JT Pettigrew (6-7) are undersized but excellent rebounders.
20. Will high-profile players continue to skip their senior year?
High school and college coaches aren’t sure. Jeremiah Fears is having tremendous success at Oklahoma and Bryce Heard is off to a nice start at North Carolina State. They could both be at Illinois high schools this season.