The boys basketball season tips off this week. Here are previews of area teams.

GLENBARD SOUTH RAIDERS

Coach: Wade Hardtke

2017-18 record: 11-16

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Tavion Keith sr. G

Kevin Enright sr. G

Tommy Powers sr. F

Spencer Pyle sr. C

Cole Hardtke sr. F

Ryan Harrington sr. C

Nick Plaso jr. G

Cade Hardtke soph. G

Outlook: The Raiders return four players with starting experience in Keith, a 5-foot-8 guard coming off an All-Metro Suburban Blue season, Powers, Pyle and Enright. Add to that several others who saw significant minutes last season, led by Cole Hardtke and Harrington. This year's roster with seven seniors will seek the program's third 3A regional title in four seasons. It could be quite a potent backcourt considering Enright missed most of the latter half of last season, breaking his left wrist Jan. 20 and not returning until regionals. The Raiders will be adjusting to their new conference, the Upstate Eight, and even more 4A opponents.

“[Our strength is] a number of seniors returning with experience from last year,” coach Hardtke said.

GLENBARD WEST HILLTOPPERS

Coach: Tim Hoder

2017-2018 record: 15-12

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Evan Taylor sr. G

Caden Phillips sr. C

Carter Lindstrom sr. G

Griffin Foster sr. G

Matthew Gertzen sr. G

Max Dikker sr. C

Corey Williams sr. F

Colin Baker sr. C

Outlook: Hilltoppers will lean heavily on Taylor, an athletic 6-foot-6 Southern Illinois recruit who averaged 18 points and seven rebounds last year and is of the area's elite talents. Caden Phillips, 6-6, averaged nine points and six rebounds and provides muscle. Two seniors and potential starters, Kyle Dell and Ethan Graff, will miss significant time recovering from football injuries. Lindstrom played significant minutes last year, but not with notable stats.

"Our league is a grind and everyone is going to be able to beat up on each other," Hoder said.

ST. FRANCIS SPARTANS

Coach: Erin Dwyer

2017-18 record: 16-16

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Mike Cascella sr. G

Patch England sr. F

Marcus Ingold sr. F

Sean Conley sr. G

Danny Blank jr. G

Nick Kosmetatos sr. F

Bryce Walker jr. F

Eric Welch jr. F

Ryan French jr. G

Jake Tangorra jr. G

Robert Nocek jr. F

Mike Fasana jr. G

Outlook: The Spartans enjoyed a great run last season, winning a 3A regional title. Three-point threat Cascella may be the only returning starter but Blank, England and Walker were among the first four subs in the regional final. The Spartans expect to go deep. They can be guard-oriented with Cascella and Brand running the show or decide to go big with players such as the 6-8 Walker and the 6-5 England and Nocek. The 6-2 Ingold adds to that experienced depth. This season, the Spartans switch to the Metro Suburban Blue from the Chicago Catholic League White, where they finished fourth last season. Schedule highlights include playing Chicago Bulls Prep Dec. 8 at the United Center and Elmwood Park Jan. 5 at the Sears Centre.

“We have some experience and a nice blend of size and athleticism,” Dwyer said.

WHEATON ACADEMY WARRIORS

Coach: Steve Thonn

2017-18 record: 20-7

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Marcus Bult jr. F

Gerald Blackmon sr. G

Jack Dykema sr. G

Steve Ryan sr. F

Sebastian Pares jr. F

Bryson Mitchell jr. G

JD Rienow jr. F

Max Scharnowski jr. F

Tobi Sonuga jr. G

Outlook: The Warriors are coming off their best season since 2014, including the co-championship of the Metro Suburban Blue. Now they're moving to the Metro Suburban Red, which was won last season by rival Timothy Christian. The 6-4 Bult, who earned all-conference as a sophomore, is the lone returning starter, but the 6-2 Dykema and 6-4 Pares were among the first players off the bench. Besides a roster of six seniors and six juniors, the Warriors boast seven players in the 6-3 to 6-4 range. Thonn hopes that can contribute to balanced scoring and help to offset the graduation of playmakers J.D. Gunn and Jayston Williams. An emotional blow has been another season-depriving knee injury to senior Jimmy Paganis, who hoped to rejoin the varsity for the first time since sophomore year.

“We’re versatile, can play many positions,” Thonn said.

WHEATON NORTH FALCONS

Coach: Dave Brackmann

2017-18 record: 16-16

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Matthew Brend sr. G

Deng Reng sr. F

Jacob Schauer sr. G

Nathan Heyen sr. G

Garrett Horner jr. F

Xander Mueller jr. F

Drake Dickinson sr. G

Outlook: The Falcons believe they have the personnel to be highly competitive in the new DuKane Conference and contend for their second 4A regional title in three seasons. There are two returning starters in Reng, who averaged double figures last season, and point guard Brend, who was hampered by injuries last season. Along with Schauer, last season's significant sixth man, all are college prospects with the much improved Reng attracting Division I and II attention.

“Reng is versatile and experienced,” Brackmann said. “Brend is quick, can create off the dribble and has improved his shot. Schauer is a great shooter that has developed into a great all-around player.”

Horner and Heyen, a strong defender, are expected to make greater contributions. Mueller, a Division I prospect in football, should bring his athleticism from linebacker to the court.

WHEATON WARRENVILLE SOUTH TIGERS

Coach: Mike Healy

2017-18 record: 22-7

TOP PLAYERS

NAME YEAR POS.

Jeff Kratz sr. G

Joe Ives sr. G

Colin Rachford sr. G

Matt Scherrman sr. G

Owen Streubing sr. G

Chase Keating sr. G

Outlook: Graduation cost the Tigers all five starters, including Parker Robinson and Jake Healy, from a group wildy successful the last two years, reaching a regional final last season. Kratz, who averaged 5.1 points per game as WW South's seventh man, is the only returner who saw varsity action. Expect defense to be Tigers' calling card again. Ives leads a group of football players coming off a big fall.

"People won't know much about us or our guys based on our inexperience, but I like our group a ton," Healy said. "It is a great opportunity for them to make their own identity. They are hungry and have put in a ton of work. Really excited to see what happens."