Evan stars among stars
Simeon senior leader Gilyard is first- team All- State selection
Simeon is always loaded with talent. Wolverines coach Robert Smith regularly trots out starting lineups packed with highmajor college players. It can be difficult for anyone who isn’t Derrick Rose or Jabari Parker to really stand out.
That has never been a problem for senior Evan Gilyard. He has been a spark plug since his sophomore year and is the unquestioned leader of this season’s team.
“It’s his team,” Smith said. “I have the confidence in him to let him make decisions.”
Gilyard, a UTEP recruit, has stepped up in crunch time in dozens of games the last three seasons. He has won two city titles and has a chance at the Class 4A state championship this weekend.
His leadership is the major factor the Wolverines are in Peoria. As talented as Simeon is this season, it doesn’t hold a candle to the 2014 team. But this year’s group is the one that advanced to the state finals.
“We play more as a team,” Gilyard said. “My sophomore year, we were broken up in parts, and people went to play hero ball. Now we just have teammates who want to play together.”
Gilyard joins Sun- Times Player of the Year Alonzo Verge ( Thornton), Jacobs’ Cameron Krutwig, Evanston’s Nojel Eastern and Edwardsville’s Mark Smith as first- team All- State selections.
Smith was this season’s break- out star. The 6- 5 guard averaged 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. The Wolverines held him to 12 points at the ISU Supersectional on Tuesday, but Gilyard was impressed.
“He’s a good basketball player,” Gilyard said. “He can shoot the ball, he can drive and he can feed his teammates. He’s an allaround player.”
Krutwig averaged 16 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks and three assists. The Golden Eagles lost to Fremd in the supersectional on Tuesday, but the Loyola- bound big man has a permanent spot in IHSA history. Krutwig finished his career in the state’s top 10 in rebounds.
Eastern also fell short of Peoria, but he ended his high school career with two huge games. He had 29 points and 17 rebounds in the sectional win against Waukegan and 31 points, 10 rebounds and six steals in the Wildkits’ season- ending loss to Young on Tuesday.
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