Boys basketball: Northwest all-area team

Brandon Bolger, Schaumburg

The transition from reserve to one of the Mid-Suburban League's top scorers wasn't always a smooth ride for Bolger. But the senior persevered as he averaged 15 points a game with 55 3-pointers in helping Schaumburg prosper with a Class 4A regional title. "The bottom line is offensively he really does a tremendous job for us," said coach Bob Williams. "There hasn't been one bit of quit in the kid ... and he's all about the team."

Dan Bruno, Fremd

Bruno was one of many unknowns for Fremd after playing as a reserve as a sophomore. People will know a lot more about him next year after he led the team in scoring (11.2 ppg) and averaged 2 assists while also defending other top guards. "He's been rock-solid for us all year in effort and attitude," said coach Bob Widlowski. "His improvement since last year has been dramatic and this is a very nice reward for his hard work."

Al Chery, Wheeling

The senior's stock literally soared with his rim-rattling dunks and blocked shots. The 6-3 Chery played bigger for Wheeling as he averaged 11.8 points, 7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks a game. "I don't think I've ever seen a kid who improved as much as he has from walking in as a freshman to graduation," said coach Lou Wool. "Throughout the year he had some unbelievable dunks, his shot-blocking was just unbelievable and he did a very underrated job as a rebounder as well."

Griffin Dwyer, Hersey

The last in a line of four successful brothers to go through Hersey had an interesting path to success. Dwyer hardly played as a junior for a 22-win team but emerged to average 14.3 points and hit 58 3-pointers, lead the team in assists and guard the opposition's top player as the Huskies won their first regional title in 13 years. "He's been an outstanding leader and has consistently been our top defender," said coach Steve Messer.

Luke Fabrizius, Hersey

The Dayton-bound Fabrizius finished his third all-area season on an up note as he scored 32 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead Hersey to its first regional title since 1995. Fabrizius averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds a game and hit 40 3s but also was asked to do more in the post on both ends of the floor. "He's done a tremendous job of hanging tough under extremely difficult circumstances," said first-year Hersey coach Steve Messer, "between me being demanding and the MSL being the MSL."

Kyle Gaedele, Rolling Meadows

Taking over at point guard didn't diminish Gaedele's point production at all. The powerful Meadows senior and Valparaiso baseball signee averaged 17.7 points a game to surpass 1,000 for his career and become the first repeat Mid-Suburban League scoring leader since Fremd's Paul Tharp in 1995-96. He also ended up as the school's career assist leader with 269. "It's pretty amazing that he not only scored that much but got other people involved," said coach Kevin Katovich. "He's not really a point guard but he did such a nice job because we didn't have anyone else to run the point."

Jeff Heiden, Prospect

There was no hiding how good Heiden was from behind the 3-point line. The 5-9 senior point guard shattered the single-season Prospect 3-point record with 84 at a 49 percent success rate. He averaged 13.9 points and 2.4 assists for the Mid-Suburban East co-champions. "He's just such a competitor," said coach John Camardella. "You look at a kid walking in who you don't think is going to beat you and how many teams walked out saying, 'How did he beat us?"'

Billy Hubly, Elk Grove

Elk Grove's marked man still became its top marksman from behind the 3-point line. Hubly averaged 15.6 points a game and set school records with 3s for a single-season (76), career (175), game (7) and career percentage (40). "You knew every single game teams were going to do something different to do whatever it took to stop him," said coach Anthony Furman. "He was still able to accomplish those things with that target on his head."

Gerald Hutton, Palatine

Hutton's value to Palatine was exemplified as he played nearly all of its regional game just three days after he was on crutches with a severe ankle injury. The senior point guard averaged 4.5 points a game but didn't give up much at the other end and led the balanced Pirates at 4 assists a game. "He does all the little things a point guard should do," said coach Ed Molitor. "He just makes his teammates better and never once in two years did I have to talk to him about playing hard. He really is a great teammate."

Mike Landuyt, St. Viator

Opposing scorers eyes didn't light up when they saw Landuyt. For two seasons the St. Viator guard and standout running back contained some of the top players in the East Suburban Catholic Conference and beyond. "There are no numbers for that," said coach Joe Majkowski. "So often he got the job done and it's a credit to him and how hard he works." The senior also played point guard at times and averaged 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2 steals a game for a team that nearly won a regional title. "

Chris McClellan, Wheeling

Replacing the two-time all-area pick and Lewis-bound point guard won't be an easy task for Wheeling. McClellan could score (15 points a game), make spectacular passes (4.7) assists, hit 3-pointers (55) and shoot free throws better than anyone in the area at 92 percent. His defense also improved as he started taking on some of the Mid-Suburban League's better guards. "He's just a marvelous basketball player," said coach Lou Wool. "He's like a throwback player. He's not big and muscular and it's all about basketball skill."

Luke Mead, Hoffman Estates

Mead will be poised for some kind of senior season if he can make a jump close to the one he just completed. The Hoffman guard went from playing a bit part and averaging 4 points as a sophomore to becoming the focus of defensive attention by averaging 15 points, 4.5 assists and 3 rebounds and hitting 54 3-pointers this season. "When Luke is in the game he refuses to let his team lose," said coach Bill Wandro after Mead's spectacular regional semifinal with 25 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. "He's done that all year."

Jimmy Orlowski, Maine West

Long hours in the summer made Orlowski the best long-range shooter from behind the 3-point arc in Maine West history. The senior guard put in six to eight hours a day at Des Plaines' West Park and went from reserve to leading scorer at 13 points a game and a school-record 91 3-pointers. "The jump he made was just incredible," said coach Erik McNeill. "It's a credit to his work ethic. His goal was to become the best shooter he possibly could and get some playing time."

Cully Payne, Schaumburg

Expectations were high as Payne became a big fish in a much bigger pond after transferring from Burlington Central. And the junior guard who has committed to DePaul wound up thriving at Schaumburg with his ability to get the ball to the rim and average 17 points a game or get it to teammates at 5 assists a game for a Class 4A regional champion. "I couldn't ask for anything more for a kid coming in new," said coach Bob Williams. "He's a special player and he'll do anything for the team to be successful."

Kevin Reed, Prospect

Mid-Suburban East teams got a good Reed on Prospect's future as the 6-6 junior sparked a run to a share of the division title. After seeing limited action as a sophomore, Reed averaged 13 points, 8 rebounds and showed tremendous passing ability for a big man at 3 assists a game. "Having him from summer and fall ball we knew what was possible and now Kevin is starting to realize what is possible," said coach John Camardella. "In major games in the East he came through huge."

Mike Ricciardi, Buffalo Grove

On a lot of teams Ricciardi would be a guard. For a Buffalo Grove team that won its third straight regional title, the 6-3 Ricciardi regularly battles bigger players and comes out successfully. Ricciardi averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds a game but also gives opponents a dilemma with his ballhandling skills. "I'm amazed that night after night he consistently gives up three to six inches," said coach Ryan O'Connor, "and he has consistently outperformed most posts."

Tony Rizzo, Conant

The 6-4 junior reminds Conant coach Tom McCormack of another well-known player with the same first name. "He is our Toni Kukoc," McCormack said of the former Bulls' standout. "He's our do everything guy. He even looks like him." Rizzo averaged 8.7 points with the ability to score from outside or off the drive for a balanced team that won 20 games and a second straight Mid-Suburban League title. He also handled the ball, rebounded and defended point guards or top scorers.

Tommy Sotos, Conant

Conant fans frequently heard PA announcer Bruce Hildabrand bellow "Tommy Sotos from deep" as the senior hit 63 3-pointers en route to a team-leading 12-point average. The vocal Sotos, who will play at the University of Chicago, also stepped up in leading a team that had little returning experience to a second straight Mid-Suburban League title. "He established himself as one of the premier shooters in the area," said coach Tom McCormack. "He was valuable to the team even when he wasn't scoring because he draws so much attention."

Paul Timko, Buffalo Grove

Good health finally allowed Timko to fully show the skills that led to his varsity promotion as a freshman. But Timko, who averaged 9 points and 3 rebounds a game and hit 38 3-pointers, also evolved into an all-around player as Buffalo Grove won its third straight regional title and 20 games for the fourth year in a row. "He was somebody you envisioned putting up big numbers," said coach Ryan O'Connor. Through injuries he redefined himself. Now he gives us leadership and defense."