Boys basketball: Scouting Wheeling
Wheeling
Coach: John Clancy (second year, 7-20)
Last year: 7-20, 1-9 (T5th MSL East)
Key losses: Ricky Schwind (all-area G, 11 ppg, 57 3s), Tyler Shapiro (G, 9.6 ppg), Riley Harvey (F, 5.8 ppg), Matt Hart (C, 2.8 ppg), Billy Jamie (F-C, 2.9 ppg), Brandyn Gray (G), Nick Boyd (G, 6.2 ppg).
Returning players: Seniors Charlie Kirk (6-5, F, 6.3 ppg), Kevin Leska (6-4, C), Andrew Jensen (5-11, G), Lamont McPherson (6-2, G-F), Brandon Yacu (6-2, F), Dan Hlavacek (5-9, G); sophomore Jeremy Stephani (G, 7.1 ppg, 30 3s)
Newcomers: Seniors Denariss Jacobs (6-2, F), Eric Chmiel (5-10, G), Adam McDowell (6-6, C); juniors Nate Majkowski (6-2, G), Nick Ricciardi (5-10, G), Scottie Bertrand (6-2, F), Will Anderson (6-1, G), Jere Levin (6-4, G), Ziggy Jasiunas (6-3, F-C); sophomore Chris Pierro (5-10, G); freshman Matthias Kim (5-10, G)
Outlook: There may not be any younger backcourts around than Wheeling's trio of Stephani, Pierro and Kim, who moved in this summer from Chicago's Lincoln Park area. But Clancy doesn't see this as just a baptism by fire for the future. "I think Stephani will be an all-area player this year," Clancy said. "We're going to give (Kim) the keys to the car and I think he can make us go. Pierro can stroke 3s and has great range." They all fit right into Clancy's dribble-drive offense and the plan to use more man-to-man defensively. Kirk enters his third varsity year and can also shoot the while the athletic Leska has improved significantly and will be at the top of the Wildcats' ball press when he returns in a few weeks from a collapsed lung. McPherson is a transfer from Mississippi who wasn't eligible last year but has improved his outside shooting and Clancy said "I think he'll be the surprise of the MSL." Jasiunas came up last year and had 8 points and 8 rebounds against Rolling Meadows in his only varsity game before he broke his hand, Yacu adds toughness and leadership and Jensen, Ricciardi and Majkowski bring different assets to the guard depth. "One thing about this team is they're incredibly unselfish and winning is their priority," Clancy said. "They're not worried about their stat lines. If our guards handle the pressure of MSL basketball, I know we'll be flying under the radar, but I feel pretty good."