No shortage of teams to watch next season
It’s never too early to start thinking ahead. Here is a look at a dozen Chicago- area basketball teams ( in alphabetical order) to look forward to watching next winter:
Bolingbrook: Freshman point guard Joseph Yesufu and 6- 5 Nana Akenten, one of the top 20 prospects in the Class of 2017, fueled a second- half run this past season that the Raiders can build on.
Conant: Junior guard Jimmy Sotos is among the best- kept secrets in the area, 6- 7 junior Michael Downing is a defensive stalwart and 6- 7 sophomore Ryan Davis is coming on fast. All three were part of a team that won 23 games and a sectional title.
Curie: The defending Class 4A state champion has a potential breakout star returning in junior guard Elijah Joiner. Three other starters — guard Allante Pickens, 6- 5 Terry Smith and promising 6- 7 sophomore Treavon Martin — also will return.
Evanston: Nojel Eastern will be a four- year starter and one of the top handful of players in the senior class. The 6- 6 guard will be joined by several returnees with varsity experience, including Chris Hamil and Elyjah Williams.
Hillcrest: The Hawks, who finished 23- 7, will be loaded. Junior guard Marcus Garrett will be one of the most dynamic players in the area. Look for big jumps from freshman Isaac Stanback and juniors Bobby Harvey and Jalen Hughes.
Joliet West: Coach Nick DiForti guided the Tigers to a sectional championship with a roster full of underclassmen, led by juniors Trevian Bell and Teyvion Kirk.
Marian Catholic: After a 23- 6 season that featured conference and regional championships, the Spartans will welcome back size in 6- 8 Tee Aaron Powell and 6- 7 T. J. Smith, shooting in Austin Richie and a promising backcourt in Chase Adams and Brandon Hurt.
Morgan Park: Look for sophomore Ayo Dosunmu to blossom and emerge as one of the elite players in the state. The Mustangs should be among the best teams in Class 3A, especially if big men Melo Burrell and Lenell Henry develop.
Naperville North: The defending DuPage Valley champion will be one of the top teams in the western suburbs. The Huskies will return five of their top six players from a 23- 5 team, led by 6- 5 junior Mitch Lewis.
Simeon: Evan Gilyard had a breakout junior season and will return at point guard. The Wol- verines have talent in the pipeline, including 6- 4 Talen Horton-Tucker and freshman guard Kejuan Clements.
St. Joseph: Replacing Nick Rakocevic and matching backto- back trips to Peoria will be tall tasks. But freshman point guard Marquise Walker made a big splash, and junior Jason Towers and sophomores Joffari Brown, Jordan Boyd and Ahmad Muhammad will return.
Young: The Dolphins, led by sophomore point guard Xavier Castaneda and junior Lucas Williamson, will return virtually everyone from a team that gave Curie all it could handle in a loss in the sectional semifinals.