This is my Chicago Area top 25 and lots of movement as it will be for most of the season. Here we go:
1) Simeon Career Academy (Chicago) (0-0): Starts their season this week in Chicago Public League Red South/Central play this week, then a juicy matchup vs #6 St Rita (Chicago) on Saturday at Chicago Elite Classic. Rubin twins (Wes and Miles) will have to play big against St Rita's front line.
2) West (Joliet) (3-1): Only loss was to Lanier (GA) at Kevin Brown Memorial TOC at Washington. Beat St Rita coming back from 14 down to win at the same event. Fears brothers made all tournament, but watch out for junior guard Justus McNair who will be huge moving on. No rest as they have Kenwood Academy (Chicago) Saturday at Chicago Elite Classic. Senior big men Matthew Moore (6'9") and Drew King (6'9") have to hit the glass vs #3 Kenwood Academy (Chicago).
3) Kenwood Academy (1-0): Beat Whitney Young (Chicago) in season opener at DePaul University with junior Isaiah Green hitting the game winner and junior Jaden Smith having a game changing stretch in the fourth quarter to change game around. Start Chicago Publlc League Red South/Central play this week. Big time schedule continues with #2 West (Joliet) in heavyweight matchup on Saturday at Chicago Elite Classic. Guards Darrin Ames (Kansas State commit), Tyler Smith, and Green will have to come up big vs Fears brothers and McNair.
4) Whitney Young (Chicago) (2-1): Lost opener to #4 Kenwood Academy (Chicago) by 2, then won two games in Rockford. Senior point guard Princeton commit Dalen Davis and senior forward Daniel Johnson played well in Rockford. Junior forward Sean Brown has been the ultimate glue guy and consistently good to start the season. Start Chicago Public League Red West/North play this week. Big matchup on Saturday vs National Christian at Chicago Elite Classic. Freshmen guards Marquis Clark and Naz Rankin are big contributors off the bench.
5) Brother Rice (Chicago) (4-0): Won Riverside Brookfield Thanksgiving Tournament with a convincing victory over Curie (Chicago) in title game. Niagara commit senior point guard Ahmad Henderson II won Tournament MVP. Senior Khalil Ross and junior Tre Dowdell made all tournament team. Friday at Montini, hosts St Frances DeSales (Chicago) on Saturday. Nick Niego is a good backcourt partner for Henderson II.
6) St Rita (Chicago) (2-2): Lost to West (Joliet) and Cardinal Ritter (St Louis,MO) at Kevin Brown Memorial TOC at Washington. Good learning experience for team that is still trying to put it together. Illinois commit junior forward Morez Johnson Jr had a monster tournament. No rest though as they have a big time matchup Saturday with #1 Simeon Career Academy (Chicago) at Chicago Elite Classic. Junior big's Morez Johnson Jr, and James Brown will have to win the matchup vs Simeon Career Academy's bigs.
7) Rolling Meadows (4-0): Rolled through the Fenton (Bensenville) Tournament with ease. Minnesota commit senior guard Cameron Christie was Tournament MVP. Seniors Tsvet Sotirov and Mark Nikolitch-Wilson made all tournament. Hosts Glenbrook South (Glenview) Tuesday, Prospect (Mount Prospect) on Friday, at Maine South (Park Ridge) on Saturday.
8) Evanston Township (4-0): Breezed through the St Viator (Arlington Heights) Thanksgiving Tournament winning every game by double digits. Senior Prince Adams averaged a double/double, and fellow senior Jonah Ross shot the lights out in the last game of round robin tournament. Senior point guard Hunter Duncan provided steady play. Start Central Suburban South play on Friday hosting Glenbrook South (Glenview), then host Mundelein on Saturday.
9) St Ignatius College Prep (Chicago) (4-0): Won the Loyola/New Trier Thanksgiving Tournament with win in finals over New Trier (Winnetka). Senior George Mason commit Richard Barron III was Tournament MVP. Junior Reggie Ray and sophomore Phoenix Gill made all tournament team. Chicago Catholic League play starts this week at Providence on Friday. Saturday they play Gonzaga (DC) at Chicago Elite Classic.
10) Glenbrook North (Northbrook) (4-0): Won Glnebook North/St Patrick Tournament. Junior point guard Josh Friedman was Tournament MVP. Senior Ryan Cohen and junior Sam Lappin made all tournament. Hosts Mundelein on Wednesday then starts Central Surburban South play at Niles West (Skokie) on Friday.
11) Benet Academy (Lisle) (4-0): Won St Charles East Thanksgiving Tournament. Senior guard Brady Kunka was Justin Hardy Tournament MVP named after a young man who passed away from cancer earlier this year. Great honor for Kunka. Senior John Hopkins commit Brayden Fagbemi was all tournament. East Suburban Catholic play starts this week hosting St Viator (Arlington Heights), Friday vs #25 Riverside Brookfield at Chicago Elite Classic.
12) Hillcrest (Country Club Hills) (4-0): Won Chicago Heights Classic Thanksgiving Tournament. Big time performances from seniors Bryce Tillery, Akron commit Darrion Baker, and Quentin Heady. Friday visits #16 Oak Lawn.
13) DePaul College Prep (Chicago) (4-0): Won Battle of The Bridge at DePaul College Prep (Chicago). Senior Maurice Thomas was Tournament MVP. Sophomore point guard Robert Walls made all tournament. Chicago Catholic League play starts this week on Friday at St Laurence (Burbank).
14) Bolingbrook (2-1): Lost to MacArthur in title game of Decatur Turkey Tournament. Senior Miami, Ohio commit Mekhi Cooper and DJ Strong made all tournament. Senior forward Donoven Younger is a key to the season with his inside play. Tuesday Hosts North (St Charles), Friday hosts Stagg (Palos Heights).
15) Curie (Chicago) (3-1): Lost to Brother Rice (Chicago) in Finals of Riverside Brookfield Thanksgiving Tournament. Junior guard Carlos Harris made all tournament. Start Chicago Public League Red South play at Brooks (Chicago) on Thursday. Plays Vashon ( St Louis, MO) at Chicago Elite Classic.
16) Oak Lawn (4-0): Won Spartan-Ram Thanksgiving Tournament with title game win over Mount Carmel (Chicago). Senior guard Xavier Suliaman was Tournament MVP. Senior Ayham Salah made all tournament team. Big game hosting #12 Hillcrest (Country Club Hills) on Friday.
17) North (Downers Grove) (2-1): Won Wheaton Academy Tournament though they dropped a game to Lake Park (Roselle). Junior guard Jack Stanton was Tournament MVP. They play Lutheran (Rockford) on Wednesday at home then play at Hersey (Arlington Heights) on Friday. Junior forward Jack Reimer is an inside/outside force.
18) Hyde Park (Chicago) (2-0) Beat Lincoln Park (Chicago) and North Lawndale (Chicago). Seniors Cam Wiliford, and Damarion Morris are off to great starts as is junior Jurrell Baldwin. Starts Chicago Public League Red South/Central play this week at Longwood (Chicago) on Thursday. Has Father Tolton (Columbia, MO) on Friday, then Chicago U-Lab on Saturday at Chicago Elite Classic.
19) Marian Catholic (Chicago) (3-1): Lost to #16 Hillcrest (Country Club Hills) in Chicago Heights Classic Thanksgiving Tournament. Senior Cal Poly commit Quentin Jones made all tournament. Junior James Bullock has shown well so far. East Suburban Catholic Conference play starts Tuesday hosting Carmel (Mundelein), Friday at Nazareth (LaGrange).
20) New Trier (Winnetka) (3-1): Runners-up in Loyola (Winnetka)/New Trier (Winnetka) Christmas Tournament. Senior Cornell commit guard Jake Fiegen and senior University of Chicago soccer commit Evan Kanellos made all tournament team. Starts Central Suburban South slate this week hosts Maine South (Park Ridge).
21) East (Oswego) (4-0): First appearance in poll. Won North Naperville/Oswego Hoops for Healing tournament with win over West Aurora in title game. Senior forward Towson State commit Mekhi Lowery, junior Jehvon Starwood, a transfer from Christian (Yorkville), and senior guard Ryan Johnson are the ones to watch. Favorites to win Southwest Prairie West. Plays at West Aurora (again) on Tuesday, at Minooka on Friday, at Lincoln Way East (Frankfort) on Saturday.
22) Lyons Township (LaGrange) (3-0): First appearance in poll. Senior Penn commit Niklas Polonowski is one of the top shooters in the state. Won Lyons Township Thanksgiving Tournament. Seniors Jackson Niego and Carter Reid are leaders of the team. Saturday at South (Downers Grove).
23) Marist (Chicago) (4-0): Won District 218 Thanksgiving Tournament. Leader is senior guard Justin Lang along with senior guards Mason Ross and Kaden White. Young talent with sophomore guard Keshaun Vaval, freshmen Stephen Brown and Adoni Vassilakas. Starts Chicago Catholic League play Wednesday at St Laurence (Burbank), Friday at Catholic (Joliet).
24) South (Crystal Lake) (4-0): Won Johnsburg Thanksgiving Tournament. Top players are senior Northern Michigan commit Cooper LePage and sophomore Anthony Demirov. LePage is all over the court and hits the glass for double/double's, Demirov is a two way guard. Wednesday at Dundee Crown, Friday at Crystal Lake Central, Saturday hosts Glenbrook South (Glenview).
25) Riverside Brookfield (3-1): Finished third in Riverside Brookfield Thanksgiving Tournament losing to #15 Curie (Chicago) in semifinals. Senior Winona State commit Arius Alojisius and junior William Gonzalez had a couple of nice scoring games in the tournament. Friday vs #11 Benet Academy at Chicago Elite Classic, Saturday at IC Catholic Prep (Elmhurst).
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