Once again kudos to Coach Mike Reingruber, and staff for once again running a first class event. The 20th annual as always was a fun time. I'll talk about some teams I was impressed with that I saw, and a few players, along with a promising Class of 2027. Here we go:
Teams that I saw that went 4-0:
ST LAURENCE (BURBANK): Went 4-0 wiping out most of the competition. Had a close intense game with Curie (Chicago). Junior laden team but a couple of senior transfers take them to another level. Will be one of the favorites in Class 3A.
Class of 2024
Nojus Industraitis, 6'6" wing Iowa State commit looked comfortable all weekend scoring on all three levels. So far seamless transition coming in from St Rita (Chicago)
Josh Pickett, 6'5" guard looked a little uncomfortable out there still transition from Aurora (West), but he's someone you have to account for on the court.
Class of 2025
Jacob Rice, 6'4" wing is the third option but what an option he is. Scores on all three levels and still found ways to be productive.
EJ Mosley, 5'11" point guard was running the team and scoring from all three levels of the court.
Caleb Lindsey, 6'5" wing was hitting threes, scoring on drives to the basket and hitting the glass.
Zerrick Johnson, 6'2" wing was also doing a little bit of everything on the court.
THORNTON TOWNSHIP (Harvey): Had no problems blowing out every opponent they faced. Also has the look of a Class 3A contender. Played good team ball with 3 top transfers.
Class of 2024
Morez Johnson, Jr, 6'9" forward St Rita (Chicago) transfer and Illinois commit was doing everything, scoring at all three levels, bringing ball up court, rim protecting, rebounding, passing out of double teams in post. Total dominance.
Chase Abraham, 6'1" point guard Thornton Fractional North (Lansing) transfer also looked comfortable running the team, hitting threes from wing and off the dribble, distributing to teammates.
Isaiah Green, 6'0" combo guard Kenwood Academy (Chicago) transfer was hitting threes off feeds from Johnson and Abraham.
KENWOOD ACADEMY (Chicago): Had the most talent out there, but will all the guys who played with them be on the team next season? Even more impressive they played without jumping jack senior Calvin Robins Jr.
Class of 2024
Calvin Riddle, 6'5" wing showed more than his attacking game to the basket, hit a few threes and hit the glass.
Jaden Smith, 6'11" center looked much improved with his offensive game stepping out hitting threes and rim protecting.
Edwin Duling Jr, 6'1" point guard ran the team and was in the grill of opposing point guards. Improving three point shot.
Class of 2025
Aleks Alston, 6'9" wing is still hitting threes but now he's doing it off the dribble instead of just on catch and shoots. He's also going more off the dribble, and scoring more off the block with back to basket moves.
Davion Hannah, 6'6" wing is nationally ranked player who says he only played with the Broncos during the live period. He's a big time slasher and finisher at the rim. Will he end up transferring in for the winter.
Class of 2027
Devin Cleveland, 5'10" point guard has ability to start. More on him later.
RIVERSIDE BROKFIELD: Withstood the loss of Will Gonzalez to Curie (Chicago) and has moved on very well so far. Host team blew out every team they played.
Class of 2024
Stefan Cicic, 6'11" center showed more mobility than in the past, runs the floor better, can step out and hit threes, scores on the low block, and rim protects. Hit the glass hard. He was dominant all weekend.
Landon Rivers, 6'1" point guard ran the team, hit threes, scored on mid range pull-ups, fed the post and defended well.
Class of 2026
Cameron Mercer, 6'2" combo guard hit threes from all over the court, penetrated to the basket and scored at the rim, has a mid range pull-up. Son of former NBA player Ron Mercer.
DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP (Chicago): Class 2A champ is moving up to Class 3A, but looks the part of contender in that class. Lots of experienced players back.
Class of 2024
Jaylan McElroy, 6'7" wing is not just an inside force anymore, has some wing skills and slashing ability from the perimeter. Hitting the 15 good jumper.
Peter "PJ" Chambers, 6'2" guard is scoring off the dribble and hitting three pointers off dribble as well as catch and shoot.
Class of 2025
Rob Walls, 6'2" point guard was scoring from all three levels this weekend using his quickness to get to any spot on the court.
Makai Kvamme, 6'2" point guard was running the team and the offense like a veteran all weekend. Hit some shots when needed.
Class of 2026
RaShaun Porter, 6'6" wing was helping McElroy on the interior being a beast on the boards.
YORK (ELMHURST) just obliterated their opponents with three point threats from every position on the court. Killing it on cuts to the basket and scores. Senior laden team.
Class of 2024
AJ Levine, 6'1" point guard and leader of the team for the last three years. Scoring from three as well as on attacks to the basket.
Brendan Molis, 6'4" wing just a big time knockdown three point shooter who helps on the glass.
Kyle Waltz, 6'4" guard showed some bounce this weekend with a couple of dunks and scoring all over the court.
BENET ACADEMY (LISLE) is a young team who graduated a lot from Class 4A Runner-up team, but the young players in 2026 class and they could recover quickly. Played very well here.
Class of 2024
Parker Sulaver, 6'6" forward is lone holdover from last years team. He's playing all over the court this year, but can still hit the glass and score inside.
Class of 2025
Daniel Pauliukonis, 6'8" wing scored from all over the court at all three levels. Size will help on the glass but has good wing skills.
Blake Fagbemi, 5'10" point guard following in the foot steps of his brother, scoring at all three levels, assisting, getting steals with great all around play. Can't speed him up.
Class of 2026
Jayden Wright, 5'11' point guard is a cerebral point guard himself, is a good tag team from that position with Fagbemi.
Gabe Sularski, 6'6" wing is an absolute future star, showed he can score anywhere on the court, and can get to his spots with a nice tight handle. Very good athleticism.
Colin Stack, 6'10" center is getting better and better every time out. Once his knees stop hurting completely will be an absolute force in the paint. He was running the floor, scoring, rebounding and rim protecting this weekend. I think he's still growing.
WARREN (GURNEE) Looks like they went 3-0 but a good mix of youth and veterans on this team. Young backcourt played like veterans.
Class of 2024
Alex Daniels, 6'5" forward does the dirty work on the interior but can step out and hit a mid range shot. Hustles on both ends and can run the floor very well.
Immanuel Brown, 6'4" forward is an inside/out force as he scores on slashes to the basket and hitting threes. Hits the boards very well and moves well off the ball to get open.
Class of 2025
Jack Wolf, 6'3" wing can hit catch and shoot threes at a high rate.
Javerion Banks, 6'0" guard can score very well slashing to the basket and finishing, nice mid range floater and will occasionally hit a three.
Class of 2026
Braylon Walker, 6'0" combo guard can run a team or hit threes off catch and shoot or off the dribble, scores from mid range, and can get to the basket and finish with floaters.
Class of 2027
Jaxon Davis, 6'0" point guard will talk more about him later.
METEA VALLEY (AURORA): Nice balance on this team and has a big three that will be tough to contain.
Class of 2024
James Parker, 5'10" point guard is very quick, nice first step drive to the basket, attacks and scores at the rim. Keeps defense honest by hitting threes.
Will Ashford, 6'6" guard is another who can slash and finish at the rim with his athleticism, has a nice two dribble pull-up fadeaway jump shot. Has improved his three point shooting.
Class of 2025
Jake Nosek, 6'8" wing who can get on a roll hitting threes, does shoot a lot of them but also has a pull-up mid range game with a fadeaway also to get his shot off over just about anyone on this level. Coming back from injuries that derailed his sophomore year.
NEW TRIER (WINNEKTA), HINSDALE CENTRAL, NEUQUA VALLEY (NAPERVILLE), WEST (JOLIET), did not see enough of them.
Class of 2027
This class has a chance to be special. They haven't played a regular season high school game yet, but lots to look forward too. I hate to say this but they have to be promoted right nationally and keep working on their game to have a chance at McDonald's All-American. I think a couple have a good change if this happens.
JAXON DAVIS, 6'0" point guard, Warren (Gurnee): I've said this before...SPECIAL!!!! A mozart young prodigy that he plays beyond his years. Plays at his pace, can't be sped up, can score at any spot on the court, and is not bad defensively. Lake County may be back as they've had three Mr Basketball's over the last 13 years (Brandon Paul, Jereme Richmond, Jalen Brunson). The far North Suburbs (close to Wisconsin for you folks outside of Chicago Area) will have packed gyms again everywhere he plays. It's better in the Chicago Area when Lake County has top players and teams again.
DAVION THOMPSON, 6'2" combo guard, Bolingbrook: I've heard he's a top level football player and will have to pick a sport later in his career. Has a lot of promise in basketball as he can score on all three levels. Lefty has a smooth jumper that looks good coming out of his hand. He's already getting top defensive assignments as a freshman, guarding multiple division one scholarship offer Class of 2024 Jack Stanton of North (Downers Grove) and making him work for his points.
DEVIN CLEVELAND, 5'10" point guard, Kenwood Academy (Chicago): I think they cheated him a couple of inches, he looks like he's 6'0". He can seamlessly transition from running a team, to playing on the wing and hitting threes like they are layups. He gets into you defensively too. Would not be surprised if he squeezes into the starting lineup at sometime next season.
HOWARD WILLIAMS, 6'5" wing, Whitney Young (Chicago): He's coming off the bench, but may be brought along slower than the other freshman. He has some tough sophomores in front of him in playing time priority along with some veterans. He does have the talent to squeezes some of them out of playing time. He can score at every level of the court, and and can get to the basket off the dribble.
I'm sure there are others in this class that could squeeze in and show some promise, but these are the ones I've seen.
WHITNEY YOUNG'S 2026 CORE:
Marquis Clark (6'2" point guard), Rykan Woo (6'0" point guard), Patrick Irvin Jr (6'5" forward), Nasir Rankin (6'1" guard), and RicoAntonio D'Alessandro (6'4" forward) can all play. They won the Junior Varsity Chicago Public League Championship last season and look like they are more than ready for varsity. Clark is a do it all point guard, Woo is a steady presence who hits threes, and plays with good pace, Irvin Jr is an athletic wing, Rankin can jump out of the gym and hit an occasional three, D'Alessandro is a slasher who goes strong to the basket and hits an occasional three. Future is bright at the pool for the Dolphins.
Top players were discussed in my posts for the first two days. Go take a look at those articles.:
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