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Examining the three chicago-area schools that brought home state trophies
Ayear after being shut out of winning either of the state’s largest basketball classes — for the second time in three years — the Chicago area bounced back by sweeping Class 3A and 4A last weekend.
For good measure, the Class 2A state championship also returned to the Chicago area.
Here’s a look at those three state champions.
Homewood-Flossmoor wins first, could be back
Gianni Cobb had a terrific senior year. He was a Sun-Times All-Area player and was on the IBCA Class 4A all-state team. The dynamic point guard was clearly the energizer for a Vikings team that claimed its first state championship.
The bad news for everyone else, however, is the junior tandem of Bryce Heard and Jayden Tyler had moments in the postseason that showed just how dangerous coach Jamere Dismukes’ team will be next season.
Heard was actually H-F’s leading scorer for the season. He averaged 17 points, then went for a combined 37 points and 17 rebounds in the two wins in Champaign. The big-bodied wing also knocked down five three-pointers. He’s among the top prospects in the junior class.
Tyler, the understated and often overlooked guard, was a difference-maker in the state-championship win over Normal. He made four of five from the three-point line and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Tyler also changed the complexion of the come-from-behind supersectional win
over Curie with 18 points.
Heard and Tyler are a potent starting point for the Vikings next season.
DePaul Prep raises bar of Catholic League basketball
The Catholic League is a proud basketball conference with highly successful programs and a ton of history.
But what escaped the league for so many years — decades, really — was a lack of high-level postseason success. We’re talking state title-game appearances and state championships won, particularly in the state’s largest classes.
With Leo, Hales Franciscan and Seton Academy, there have been some prominent programs that have won small-school titles over the last 25 years. The only two big-school titles, however, were Mount Carmel’s in 1985 and St. Joseph in 2015. And Hales, Seton and St. Joseph all have closed their doors.
DePaul Prep, however, has propped up the league like no other program has before them. After capturing a Class 2A state championship last year, DePaul Prep stepped up in class and went back-to-back with a Class 3A title this year. A little more postseason success, and DePaul will be Class 4A before you know it with the IHSA’s Success Advancement Component.
Coach Tom Kleinschmidt’s program now has four state trophies since 2019 — two titles the last two years and two third-place trophies in 2019 and 2022. And the Rams aren’t going anywhere. They will be one of the favorites in Class 3A again next season.
This has been a terrific run in Catholic League basketball. But these recent DePaul Prep triumphs are the type of success that raises the bar for every program in the league.
EJ Horton’s emergence leads Phillips
The explosive junior guard is not only one of the top talents in the city but also in the entire state in the Class of 2025. The lefty is an electric talent, especially in the open floor and getting to the rim.
In comparison to his regular-season scoring numbers, Horton was held in check in Champaign. He scored 13 points in each of the two wins in leading Phillips to a state title after pouring in over 20 a game during the regular season. But his impact was felt while averaging 13 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists to go with some overall dynamic play.
If this team returns intact, Phillips will be the favorites in Class 2A again next year with Horton, Amari Edwards, Phoenix Childs and Claude Mpouma all returning.