Boys
Acero-Soto: Wolf Pack looking to take step forward after 1-win season. Top 2 scorers return in senior Gs Cruz Lopez, Tony Macias. Also expected to contribute: G Favio Hernandez, C Alexander Bahena, PG Enrique Marquez.
Argo: With top 7 back from 9-23 team, looking to get to .500, be top-3 in SSC Red. Watch G Kassem Saleh (14 ppg), F Darron Greer (10 ppg/5 rpg), F Jayvon King (9.5 ppg/6.2 rpg), G Kenneth Martins (7 ppg/4 rpg), G Deuce Rayner (5 ppg/4 apg), G Yusuf Saleh, G Syncere Westbrook.
Brother Rice: 6-4 G Marcos Gonzales, 6-5 F Caden Workman return as starters from 31-4 team. Hinsdale South transfer Jack Weigus, a 6-3 guard, is a 4-year varsity starter. Expect the Crusaders to play fast.
Catalyst-Maria: Guard play a strength with seniors Marrecus Garrett, Jayden Haynes (also a top defender) and juniors Detoine Moore, Dwayne Jackson (out injured last season). Also watch G/F Keyon Williams. Aiming to be over .500.
De La Salle: Catholic League, sectional titles a goal for veteran team. 6-7 WF Charles Barnes (12 ppg/6rpg), 6-4 Rami Edwards, PG Morgan Travis all in third varsity season as juniors. Frosh PG Roosevelt Thomas was state’s top-ranked 8th-grader. Carlos Cueva can shoot.
Evergreen Park: 10 seniors graduated from 22-11 team that ended 49-year regional drought. 2 capable scorers back from in G Keshaun Vaval (14 ppg/5 apg), G Lonnie Mosley (11 ppg/4 apg). Senior Westinghouse transfer AJ Powell a big pickup.
Marist: Harvard FB commit Achilles Anderson (ACL) out for season. 6-8 Stephen Brown (broken collarbone) will miss 8 weeks. 6-3 Marquis Vance, 6-2 Adoni Vassilakis, 5-10 TJ Tate are solid vets. Transfers Karson Thomas (LW East), Rokys Zilys (Vermont Prep) will help.
Morton: G Donavan Johnson is lone returning starter. F Chas Ontiveros, G Jamari Watkins, F Owen Gansz add experience, but Mustangs will be young overall and not very big. Soph class shows promise, so better days could be ahead.
Mount Carmel: Several key pieces back from last year’s 32-6 Class 3A runner-up: seniors Grant Best (Air Force commit), Cameron Thomas and Dylan Fulbright, along with junior PG Noah Mister. Also watch Lindblom transfer George Gray, soph Logan Wessel, 6-6 Keith Jenkins.
Oak Lawn: Spartans (22-9 last year) will play fast, shoot lots of 3s. Donte Montgomery (20.5), Jack Dempsey (10 ppg, 40% 3pt) are proven scorers. G Ali Farhan ready to step up. Also watch 6-7 Lillard Gonzales, 6-4 Marc Harvey, 6-3 Omar Saleh, Mustafa Abunajim.
Riverside-Brookfield: Bulldogs (26-5 last year) move to Upstate Eight. Key vets are junior G Cameron Mercer (14 ppg/40% 3-pt), G Danny Loftus (9 ppg), G Vince Dockendorf, 6-6 Mantas Sleinys. Also watch 6-6 Colin Chimino, Ben Biskupic, 6-4 Walker Burns, Liam Enright.
Sandburg: 5 starters graduated from 16-16 team. 6-3 G Connor Gleason, 5-9 G Malachi Perkins return. Identical twins Jonah and Will Johnson are 6-2 juniors who should help immediately. Winning record and competing in SW Suburban are goals.
Shepard: SSC Red title a goal. 6-9 Jovan Thomas (9 ppg/8 rpg), elite 6-8 frosh Amari Williams provide solid inside presence. G Aurion Barnes-Lee (8.8 ppg/2.8 apg), G Danny McGovern (4 ppg/3 apg) also back as starters. Billy Massey, Zach Cosme also will contribute.
Stagg: Graduated 7 of top 8 from 20-12 team that won program’s first league title but 6-6 UI Springfield commit Domas Narcevicius (12 ppg/60% 3-pt in conf. play) returns. 6-3 Nikolai Zumerchik, Tre Washington also back. Watch Omar Barakat, Mohammed Farhan, Dovydas Zuperka.
Universal: New coach Mustafa Sulaiman will build around seniors Abdullah Elzebek, Ameen Muslah, Abdallah Sughayar, all of whom have all-conference potential. Two sophs to watch are PG Ahmad Massad, Omar Motan.
Girls
Argo: Argonauts are in second year of a rebuild after being very young last season. All but one player is back. Watch Alizza Quinones (9.8 ppg), who was the team’s leading scorer last year.
Chicago Christian: Knights look to improve after finishing 12-19 (0-6 Chicagoland Christian) last year. Senior Naima Hogue is top returner. Speedy junior PG Imani Frazier will push the tempo.
De La Salle: Former McAuley coach Tony Federici takes over team aiming to compete in GCAC White. C Kai Williams a solid scorer, defender. Others to watch: F Maggie Robinson, PG Jakiah Jackson, G Ellie Cabrera, G Kamarah Jamison, 5-10 F Aniya Hamilton, F Janelle Ochoa.
Evergreen Park: New coach George Shimko takes over team that was 15-14 last season. Top returners are junior F Tatum Harris, senior PG Trinity Jones, senior F Kyziah Lewis.
Horizon-McKinley: Winning record a goal for team coming off tough season. Back are senior G Victoria Medrano, junior G Cassandra Medrano, senior F Esmeralda Rau. Two freshmen to watch are PG Julissa Reyes, F Lauriah Penro.
Kelly: Trojans move up to Red Star section, return 9 players from 10-13 team. Starters back: C Delilah Lopez, G Sasha Arriaga Morales, G Luz Escudero, F Daeja West. Also returning: G/F Imani Jackson, F Amy Lora, G Alexandra Zaldivar, G Dulce Paredes Alonzo, C Amaranth Rincon.
Lyons: 6-2 Stanford recruit Nora Ezike (16.5 ppg/8.5 rpg) is one of state’s best. 6-1 Emma O’Brien (13.4 ppg/5.7 rpg) has Harvard, Loyola offers. Avery Mezan (5.6 ppg), 5-11 Gwen Smith also back. Watch frosh Sydney Munson, 6-0 soph Taylor Carroll. Aiming for a special season.
Nazareth: Roadrunners have 5 state trophies since 2018, inc. 2nd in 4A last year. Young but talented this year with Valpo commit Allia Von Schlegell, 6-0 Stella Sakalas, 6-2 Jane Manecke, Lyla Shelton, 5-11 Sophia Towne, 5-11 Samantha Austin, Molly Moore, 6-0 Emerson Hyland.
Mother McAuley: Junior PG Quinn Arundel (11 ppg/2 rpg/2 apg/2.3 spg) is 2-year starter, returning All-GCAC pick. Also back: soph G Taji Alexa, junior G Delia Sullivan, junior F Olivia Brown. Mighty Macs have one of state’s toughest schedules.
Oak Lawn: Senior-heavy team will look to F Danielle Dempsey, G Teagan Krzystof (76 3s last year), G Bianca Fleitas, soph G Olivia Perry. Dempsey, Krzystof are both 4-year varsity players. Went 18-13, won share of SSC Red title last year. Goals are conference, regional titles.
Reavis: Career scoring leader Isabel Lopez, 7 more seniors graduated from team that finished 13-12 (8-5 SSC Red). Keep an eye on G Delyana Arocho, C Alexa Pena Flores, freshman Dajiah Vidana.
Sandburg: Lots back from 19-15 regional champs. PG Zoe Trunk a proven scorer, defender. Ellie Driscoll (65 3s), Olivia Trunk (90% FT), Abby Janociak, Olivia Prodoehl also back. Frosh PG Makaleigh Terry, Maeve Overmyer, 6-2 Monique Nkwogu all will contribute.
Shepard: Finished 19-10, won share of first league title in program history last year. Three key vets are junior Jessica Manley (16.6 ppg/6.8 rpg), who led team in scoring last two years; three-year starting PG Brianna Spain, G Mia Stokes. Another SSC Red title a goal.
Stagg: 8 seniors graduated from 19-13 team. Back are junior G Abbey Hobart, who led the team in scoring, and 6-2 senior Shannon Earley, who broke 2 program blocks records.
St. Laurence: 2 AAU teammates lead way in soph G Aaliyah Flores (13 ppg/2 spg), 6-2 frosh F Marlee Coleman. Elle Rice also back for Vikings, who aim to win GCAC White.
Morgan Park Academy is coming off a 26-5 record from last season.
MPA did not graduate any players and has everyone back. This year
Morgan Park Academy has 4 seniors who have gained a lot of experience and
will provide leadership on the court. The seniors are Oriah Hill, Zulema Jaime, Madison
Olimene, and Anna Sheppard. This team is led by All Stater (2nd Team)
Sophomore Tiara Williams. Last year Tiara led the Chicagoland area in scoring and is
driven to keep the MPA ship afloat. Morgan Park Academy expects to do well in the
LSAL conference and in the Illinois State Series this year.