Glenbard South, St. Edward renew West quest
Aurora Central Catholic
Coach: Nate Drye (12th year, 163-160)
Conference: Metro Suburban West
2014-15 record: 15-15
Top returning players: Brett Czerak (Jr., 6-1, F), Evan Schuetz (Sr., 6-1, F), Nick Faltz (Sr., 6-3, G), Kyle Czerak (So., 5-10, G), Mac Cowen (Jr., 6-0, G), Donovan Reid (Jr., 5-10, G), Jake Bush (Sr., 6-0, G), Zach Smith (So., 6-2, F), Dylan Baker (Jr., F, 6-2)
Season outlook: The Chargers return plenty of firepower from last year's team that reached the sectional semifinals before losing to Marengo. Brett Czerak averaged 16.4 points last year, hitting 64 3-pointers while shooting 47 percent from the field and 87.2 percent at the line. “He is one of the best players around,” Drye said. “Can flat out score.” Cowen averaged 8.9 points as a sophomore and led the Chargers in assists with 109, but unfortunately underwent hip surgery this week and is likely out the year. Reid is the most likely to replace him. Schuetz and Faltz both are three-year varsity players. Schuetz averaged 11.1 points and shot 56.9 percent from the field while finishing second on the team — to graduated big man Mario May — in rebounding at 4.4 a game. “It will take a collective effort to replace Mario's rebounding and that will be a season-long battle,” Drye said. Kyle Czerak debuted on the varsity as a freshman last year, got better as the season went on, and looks to take another step forward this winter. “Kyle was terrific in the tournament last year,” Drye said. Bush has improved his offensive game “tremendously,” according to Drye and will be a rotation player along with Smith and Baker. The Chargers attempted 584 3-pointers last year, making 228 for 39 percent, and you can be sure to see more flying this year. “We plan to get out and push the ball as fast as we can and probably shoot a couple of 3s on the way,” Drye said. “We have some good experience so we just need to make sure we keep improving so we're ready come March.” Drye called Riverside-Brookfield the “clear favorite” in the Metro Suburban Conference. He said the Chargers are probably in the second tier with teams like Glenbard South.
Fenton Bison
Coach: Josh Payton.
Last year: 6-21, 1-11, seventh in the Metro Suburban Conference West Division; lost to Schaumburg in a Class 4A Barrington regional quarterfinal.
Top players: Joe Andrews, jr., F-C; K.J. Jones, sr., G; Bryan Larsen, jr., G; Eric Trujillo, sr., G; Derrian Warren, sr., F-C.
Scouting report: Fenton graduate Payton called this the “most authentic year of people buying in” to Bison basketball he's seen in four years on the varsity staff, three as head coach. More than 30 freshmen tried out, 25 for varsity. A new read-and-react offense suits players who know their roles and can handle the ball. Trujillo averaged around 3 assists and 5 points last season and Larsen about 8 points and 7 rebounds a game. Andrews averaged a double-double on the sophomore level and grabbed some varsity boards, too. Height is an issue, falling off after the 6-5 Andrews and 6-3 Trujillo and Warren. Playing at the Plano Christmas Classic is a breath of fresh air and, bottom line, Payton expects a better season from the Bison. “I think these guys are going to be extremely competitive. We're not big, but we're fast, we're athletic, we're intelligent and I think that's going to pay dividends,” he said.
Glenbard South Raiders
Coach: Wade Hardtke.
Last year: 16-13, 9-3, tied for second in the Metro Suburban Conference West Division; lost to Aurora Central Catholic in a Class 3A IMSA regional final.
Top players: Billy Bair, sr., F; Charlie Bair, jr., F; Kyle Carli, sr., F; Cullen Cuchetto, sr., G; Johnny LaPonte, sr., F; Tim Marks, sr., F; Povilas Riauba, sr., G.
Scouting report: Hardtke said he was excited to get going, with good reason. The Raiders return five players who averaged at least 5.8 points a game last season, including 6-6 all-Metro Suburban West center Billy Bair with team highs of 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. Younger brother Charlie also is in that height range for a squad that brings in decent across-the-board height with the 6-5 LaPonte and guards in the 6-2 range. Glenbard South will miss glue guy Tyler Scott and distributor Jonny Gutierrez, but in returning guard Riauba — who took 8 charges last year — and new point guard Cuchetto, those pieces seem intact. Carli's impact remains to be seen after two football injuries interrupted that season for him. On a team with quickness, good size, depth and athleticism, keys will be how they defend and share the ball. “Certainly we have guys who can score,” Hardtke said.
IC Catholic Prep Knights
Coach: T.J. Tyrrell.
Last year: 15-14, 3-9, fifth in the Metro Suburban Conference West Division; lost to St. Edward in the Class 2A Lisle regional final.
Top players: Troy Burrows, sr., G; Garrett Cheng, sr., G; Tony Gaudio, jr., F; Will Lyles, sr., C; Angel Ramirez, sr., G-F; Austin Reed, jr., G; Jordan Rowell, jr., F; Matt Sutton, jr., G.
Scouting report: As IC Catholic's football team has proved, playing larger foes steels the Knights down the stretch. The Knights return six players with starting experience and offer multiple scoring threats. Aside from high-skying 6-4 Lyles — who averaged 9.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last season — IC is undersized and will feature athleticism and open-court savvy. However, the 6-2 Rowell led last year's squad with 6.1 rebounds a game and made 51 percent of his shots. All-MSC point guard Burrows buried 52 3-pointers and averaged 13.6 points, 2.1 assists. Reed averaged 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.5 steals. Sutton will need time coming in from football but led a 21-win sophomore team in scoring. Lacking height, inside defense and rebounding by committee are required. “Our goal is to be more mentally tough than any team we face this year,” Tyrrell said.
St. Edward Green Wave
Coach: PJ White (sixth year, 84-60)
Conference: Metro Suburban (West)
2014-15 record: 26-6 (9-3 MSC West)
Top returning players: Kelvin Cortez-Harvey (Jr., 5-9, G), Andrew O'Neill (Sr., 6-2, F), Sean Phelan (Sr., 6-2, C), Adam Radcliffe (Sr., 5-10, G)
Top newcomers: Noah Enright (Sr., 5-10, G), Jake French (Sr., 5-11, F), Albert Lopez (Sr., 6-0, G), Dylan Mlinarich (So., 6-1, F)
Season outlook: Coming off a season in which the Green Wave won 26 games and advanced to the Elite Eight at Northern Illinois University, the goal of winning 20 games remains despite personnel turnover. St. Edward welcomes junior guard Kelvin Cortez-Harvey back for his third varsity season. He was an All-Area pick last year when he averaged 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game. “He's still only a junior which sounds kind of crazy because he's been around for two years,” St. Edward coach PJ White said. “He can take over games at times.” Three other returning players — seniors Andrew O'Neill, Sean Phelan and Adam Radcliffe — make the transition from role player to key player. Senior Jake French returns. He played as a freshman and sophomore but sat out last year. White said he expects French, one of the top defensive linemen in the Metro Suburban Conference, to use his strength to carve out rebounding room for a height-challenged team. Football and track participant Al Lopez adds his athleticism to the basketball mix for the first time as a senior. One big player — 6-6 junior transfer Jimmy Schoff — will be eligible to play second semester. He practiced with the Green Wave during the summer and helped them reach the championship game of the Crystal Lake Central summer league. “It's going to be one of those years where if things go our way, we'll get up to that 20-win area,” White said. “If we don't shoot well and balls don't bounce in our direction, it could be one of those limbo years.”
Timothy Christian
Coach: Jack LeGrand.
Last year: 15-12, 10-2, tied for first in the Metro Suburban Conference West Division; lost to North Lawndale at the Class 3A Timothy Christian regional final.
Top players: Joe Bootsma, sr., F; Josh Caver, sr., F-C; Joey Davidson, jr., F; Mitch Evenhouse, sr., G; Tyler LeGrand, sr., G; Ben Lodewyk, sr., G-F; Jared Rhiner, sr., F; Jon Strube, jr., G-F; Nick Tameling, jr., F; Trayvon Williams, jr., G.
Scouting report: The Trojans will again vie for the Metro Suburban East title with Illiana Christian, Chicago Christian and Ridgewood before the conference tweaks alignment in 2016-17. Timothy mainly returns the trio of Lodewyk, Davidson and last season's sixth man, Evenhouse. They hope to make up for the graduation of Robert McGivney, whose 8.8-rebound average was third in DuPage County. It'll be boards-by-committee, and that includes the two tallest Trojans — 6-4 Caver and Bootsma — and 6-3 Lodewyk, who averaged 9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals. LeGrand — coaching his son, Tyler — said the team shares and shoots the ball well but needs to get the newcomers up to fastbreak speed. “We will compete,” the coach said. “The cupboard's not bare.”
Wheaton Academy
Coach: David Osborn (first year).
Last year: 5-22, 2-10, sixth in the Metro Suburban Conference West Division; lost to Kaneland in a Class 3A Burlington Central regional quarterfinal.
Top players: Tommy Blum, jr., F; Anthony Polinski, sr., G; R.W. Rienow, sr., G; Sam Scharnowski, jr., F; Jameson Teuscher, jr., G; Dan Vasko, sr., G.
Scouting report: The Warriors welcome a new, young coach from the world of finance — who also served as a student manager for Tom Crean at Indiana University, played at Summit University in Pennsylvania and was a clinician for Point Guard College Basketball. “We want our players to think the game of basketball,” Osborn said. His goal for the Warriors is that will translate to half-court pressure defense, a fast-paced offense and quality shots. Wheaton Academy graduated four starters from last season, but Rienow and Polinski got starts and Blum and Vasko were rotation players as well. Now, it's time for them to fill the hoop along with Teuscher and the 6-6 Scharnowski. Osborn said all of them have double-digit capability and overall shooting is a plus, provided the team adeptly gets into its offense. “We have to value the basketball,” he said.