It’s about That Tom
DePaul Prep’s Kleinschmidt, who led Rams to back-to-back state titles, is City/Suburban Hoops Report coach of year
Tom Kleinschmidt’s DePaul Prep has become a defensive force and a legitimate basketball power in the state. The Rams have won back-to-back state championships, including the Class 3A title this season with a 35-2 mark.
Kleinschmidt has been on a remarkable run, culminating in being named the 2024 City⁄Suburban Hoops Report coach of the year. He’s only the third coach in the award’s 29-year history to be a two-time winner.
DePaul Prep didn’t have the Catholic League player of the year, and it succeeded without a Division I senior star. There were some underclassmen with Division I potential, including 6-7 sophomore Rashaun Porter, who is arguably the best prospect in the program, but it wasn’t a team brimming with overwhelming individual talent.
And the Rams succeeded while moving up a class, becoming the first program in state history to repeat in a larger class.
“Our kids heard a little about moving up to 3A, how it would be different for them, how they wouldn’t win it moving up,” Kleinschmidt said. “But they wanted to prove they could win while moving up. I do think there was a chip on their shoulders playing in 3A. It means the world to win a title in 3A with the teams and coaches we beat.”
The Rams’ two losses came against Homewood-Flossmoor and Normal, the Class 4A finalists, while playing short-handed. They didn’t receive a ton of preseason hype. Although the Rams were ranked 13th in the preseason Super 25, there were three Catholic League programs — Mount Carmel, Brother Rice and St. Ignatius — ranked above them.
“Those Catholic League teams all picked and ranked ahead of us were all over the locker-room walls,” Kleinschmidt said.
DePaul didn’t lose a game in the Catholic League, arguably the best conference in the state this year.
“What he’s done is get teenage kids to buy into a program,” said Mount Carmel coach Phil Segroves, who lost to DePaul Prep in the Catholic League finale and the Class 3A state championship. “It’s a program, not just a team. Those kids aren’t into individual stats. Tom gets young men to buy into team concepts, team basketball. You see it over and over again, and it’s the ultimate compliment, especially in today’s basketball world.”
Kleinschmidt has made adjustments in his coaching over the years and this past season.
For years, he believed in what he calls “the old-school Bobby Knight three-hour practices.” Kleinschmidt has changed that to an extremely engaging one hour and 45 minutes of precise practice time.
“That kept us sharp, that kept us loose, that kept us conditioned,” Kleinschmidt said of the shorter practice time.
Junior guard Rob Walls and veteran big man Jaylan McElroy formed quite a defensive duo. Leading scorer PJ Chambers averaged only 12 points, but he was a steady, reliable senior guard. Junior point guard Makai Kvamme sparkled, especially in the postseason.
“We were a phenomenal practice team,” Kleinschmidt said. “I could count on one hand the amount of bad practices we had all season. As a result, I was more confident in the trust I had in this team than any team I’ve coached.”
Kleinschmidt built the foundation and continues to set the tone for a program that is now among the state’s elite. ✶
‘‘It’s a program, not just a team. Those kids aren’t into individual stats. Tom [kleinschmidt] gets young men to buy into team concepts, team basketball.’’
Phil Segroves, Mount Carmel coach, on depaul prep