High school boys basketball: Dillon Durrett's senior season at Wheaton Warrenville South one to remember

WHEATON – Humility is a trait Dillon Durrett already possesses in abundance.

The Wheaton Warrenville South senior basketball player saw only limited action his junior season before exploding for stellar senior campaign during the Tigers' magical season.

From averaging just over two points per game last year to 17 points and 5.1 rebounds this season, Durrett was the athletic exception on a South team that relied on lockdown team defense and methodical, balanced offense to achieve success. Yet the way he sees it, he was just one cog in the machine that powered the Tigers to a 29-2 season.

"I just think I'm just one of 18 leaders," Durrett said. "Anyone on our team can do what I do. I'm just one of 18 leaders."

Durrett is right.

The Tigers' team style of play meant any and every player on the roster could erupt for a big game on any given night. Any one of his teammates could have been the one to go from role player to leading man.

Yet Durrett, the 2017 Suburban Life Player of the Year, is also wrong.

Few, if any, of his teammates possessed the raw athletic ability to play above the rim if the situation called for it. Few, if any, had his combination of leaping ability, long-range touch, ball-handling skills, length and court vision that allowed him to excel at both ends of the floor.

Though the 2016-17 season was a groundbreaking season for Durrett personally, when he looks back on the campaign he won't think of his personal achievements.

"I think I'll just be proud that we never changed what we did," Durrett said. "We played the same basketball every night, and we were so good at it that it allowed us to have a season like we did."

Named to the all-tournament team at State Farm Classic after the Tigers advanced to the tournament championship games, Durrett was also named the Most Valuable Player in the DuPage Valley Conference and was an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state fourth team honoree.

Durrett credits WWS head coach Mike Healy for helping him elevate his game. Healy in turn said it was Durrett's work ethic that led to success.

"He's worked extremely hard," Healy said. "I kind of feel like if your program is a good program, the seniors kind of take the lead. He's really taken off and done so much for us. He's the one kid we don't always have in terms of his athleticism, his ability to get to the rim and his rebounding.

"He's just done a lot of great things for us, but he's selfless at the same time."

The confidence Healy had in Durrett and the tutelage he provided was part of the reason Durrett excelled this year.

"I just had to stick with coach," Durrett said. "He saw the potential in me, I just had to figure it out. I think it was a lot easier and not as much pressure on me because I knew I just had to play hard and that the guys would have my back like I had their backs."

Durrett said he has four colleges he is looking at to continue his career at the next level. No matter what happens the rest of his career, the 2016-17 Wheaton Warrenville South season is one he will never forget.

"It was a great season with the guys," Durrett said. "We got to show and prove to ourselves and everyone else that our hard work was not going to be overlooked."

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ALL AREA PLAYERS

Benet: Jack Nolan

Downers Grove North: Semaj Henderson, Bryan Jakobsze

Downers Grove South: Denis Alibegovic, TJ Clifford

Fenwick: AJ Nixon, Jamal Nixon, DJ Steward

Glenbard East: Alijah Nelson

Glenbard South: Charlie Bair, Peter Jeske, Brandon Whiteside

Glenbard West: Connor Mullins, Evan Taylor

Hinsdale Central: Jack Hoiberg, Tomas Misiunas

Hinsdale South: Zion Griffin, Karol Lipiszko, Nick Perry

IC Catholic: Kevin Cheng, Alex Meurer

Lemont: Paul O'Leary, PJ Pipes

Lisle: Mark McGrath

Lyons Township: Connor Niego

Montini: Jayston Williams

Morton: Detalian Brown

Nazareth: Tagen Pearson

Riverside Brookfield: Jalen Brooks, Jalen Clanton

St. Francis: Andrew Harvey

Timothy Christian: Joey Davidson

West Chicago: Tai Bibbs

Westmont: Caden Anderson

Wheaton Academy: JD Gunn

Wheaton North: Luke Anthony, Jack Bennett, Rowan McGowen

Wheaton Warrenville South: Dillon Durrett, Drew Healy, Jake Healy

Willowbrook: Ethan Schuemer

York: Erik Cohn, Jordan Gray