A shot of something a little different

Make no mistake about it. We're stuck in the dog days of winter.

The excitement of the start of boys basketball season quickly faded. Holiday tournaments offered only brief rejuvenation.

As we wait for conference races to heat up, something needs to boost the energy level until the playoffs start next month.

That's where shootouts come in handy. And, thankfully, the unofficial shootout season begins this weekend.

Two doozies take place Saturday at Downers Grove North and Naperville North, while a few area teams are hitting the road for shootouts in Rockton, Moline and Galesburg. In addition to events at Woodstock North, Joliet and elsewhere this weekend, in the next few weeks some of the season's top games will take place in shootouts in Hoffman Estates and at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

For all the reasons to enjoy a shootout, breaking the monotony of a very long season sits near the top of the list.

“We definitely look forward to the shootouts,” said Glenbard East coach Scott Miller, whose team plays Proviso East on Saturday at Downers North. “You're always looking for challenges for your team, and it's easier to get up for those big games. Events like this generate some excitement.”

Downers North's M&M Classic features six games, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday. After Hinsdale Central plays Waubonsie Valley, there's a girls game between Downers North and Hinsdale South.

Then the shootout becomes a showdown between the West Suburban Conference and the DuPage Valley Conference. Downers South faces Glenbard North, Hinsdale South plays Wheaton Warrenville South, Downers North plays Wheaton North and the main event between the Rams and Proviso East tips at 6:30 p.m.

In that last game alone there will be a handful of Division I players on the court including Glenbard East's Zach Miller, committed to Northern Illinois, and Johnny Hill, committed to Illinois State. Pirates junior Keith Carter and sophomore Sterling Brown, younger brother of the Lakers' Shannon Brown, are also elite players in their respective classes.

If the individual talent isn't enough to stir interest, the competitive matchups should be.

“Top to bottom it's a pretty good day of basketball,” said Downers North coach Jim Thomas. “There's a bunch of Division I talent and you've got a lot of those teams playing pretty well right now.”

After playing host to three games in its debut last year, the Naperville North Shootout has doubled in size. The talent level also expanded.

“If you're a fan of basketball you can't go wrong,” said Naperville North athletic director Doug Smith. “For the local fan there's a lot to see.”

Like Downers North, the Naperville North shootout has a nice mix of individual and team talent. It starts with unbeaten Benet, ranked second in The Associated Press Class 4A poll, which is led by Northwestern-bound point guard Dave Sobolewski and 7-foot Wisconsin recruit Frank Kaminsky.

At noon Saturday, Wheaton Academy, champion of the Glenbard West Holiday Classic, plays Rich East. After Romeoville plays Kenwood, Crete-Monee and DePaul-bound James Crockett face West Aurora and Juwan Starks.

Proviso West and Oswego East play at 4:30 p.m., followed by Benet against Oswego and Stevenson against Naperville North. You can see it all for only $5.

“That's a nice field right there,” Smith said. “As a basketball fan I like it because it gives teams a chance to play someone completely different.”

Rematches, though, highlight the shootout season.

Next week we'll get to enjoy Benet against Glenbard East, who met in last year's Neuqua Valley sectional final, at the 14th annual High School Hoops Showdown at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. And next month the Redwings have a rematch of last year's supersectional against Simeon at UIC.

That's plenty of action between now and the postseason to keep winter's dog days at bay.

“I think everyone wants to be playing their best ball in the playoffs,” Miller said. “The competition we'll see at the shootouts will help us get there.”