Daily Chronicle 2023 girls basketball season preview: Team-by-team capsules

DeKalb Barbs

Head coach: Bradley Bjelk (second season)

Last season: 11-19, 1-9 DuPage Valley Conference (fifth)

Top returners: Cayla Evans, sr., G/F; Olivia Schermerhorn, so., G; Alicia Johnson, so., G/F; Ella Russell, jr., G; Ella Medina, jr., G; Precious French, sr., G.

Top newcomers: Kezaria Mitchell, jr., G.

Worth noting: There were definitely growing pains for Bjelk in his first season at the helm of the DeKalb girls basketball team. The Barbs have only grown stronger and more experienced in Bjelk’s first full offseason with the program.

“Our summer went well and was very competitive,” Bjelk said. We hosted several shootouts, as well as participated in the Geneva summer league. We’ve seen a lot of growth from all the players in the program. Our fall offseason had a good mix of girls participating. Their hard work has been evident early in the season.”

Sycamore Spartans

Head coach: Adam Wickness (eighth season)

Last season: 21-13, 13-1 Interstate 8 Conference (first), regional champions.

Top returning players: Lexi Carlsen, sr., PG; Monroe McGhee, sr., F; Sophia Klacik, sr., G.

Top newcomers: Kate Elsner, sr., C; Megan Brannon, sr., F; Grace Amptmann, so., G/F; Cortni Kruizenga, so., G; Annie Brandt, sr., G; Quinn Carrier, fr., G.

Worth noting: Sycamore is coming off an impressive season in which the Spartans won their regional and return Carlsen, McGhee and Klacik from last season. Wickness said he is pleased with their progress as a team so far.

“I love the way this team is shaping up,” Wickness said. “They all get along really well and are a very tight-knit group. We have a lot of experience and senior leadership and some really talented young kids that are hungry to learn. We have a ton of shooters and some scrappy defenders. It will be an up-tempo style of play that should be very fun to watch.”

While Wickness has high expectations for this year’s squad, he highlighted that circumstances over the summer gave more people more playing time, which could play big dividends down the road.

“We only had our complete team for two games this summer,” Wickness said. “Due to schedules, injuries, trips, AAU teams, camps, school, etc., we were always playing short-handed. The positive from this is that we got lots of kids playing opportunities and got a chance to identify what we really need to work on and what will be our foundation. It was a great offseason where we saw a lot of growth.”

Kaneland Knights

Head coach: Brian Claesson (second season)

Last season: 15-17, 8-6 Interstate 8 Conference (third), lost in regional final to Sycamore

Top returners: Kendra Brown, jr., G; Lexi Schueler, sr., G; Sam Kerry, jr., G/F; Berlyn Ruh, sr., F; Emily Kunzer, sr., F.

Top newcomers: Kyra Lilly, so., G; Amani Meeks, fr., G.

Worth noting: Kaneland had an up-and-down season last year, losing many close games. Six of Kaneland’s 17 losses from last year were by three points or fewer. Claesson hopes that some of those bounces will go the Knights’ way after his team gets more acquainted with his philosophies.

“Last year was the first year in the new system, and now we have that foundation set, which allows us to add new wrinkles into what we did last year,” Claesson said. “We had a great offseason. It was great to see the team bond through the summer and into the fall. It is a fun group to be around. We have seen a lot of individual growth over the offseason, and now it’s our job to mix individual growths into our team structure.”

Claesson also thinks that his team is more athletic and deeper this season.

“We are not the biggest team, but we are going to use our speed to our advantage,” Claesson said. “It is a great group of girls that are extremely smart. We know teams are going to focus on [Brown] and [Schueler], but we feel like we have a lot of depth that will surprise some teams.

Genoa-Kingston Cogs

Head coach: Brendan Royalty (fifth season)

Last season: 17-14, 2-7 Big Northern Conference (eighth)

Top returner: Ally Poegel, jr., G.

Top newcomers: Lizzy Davis, so., F; Regan Creadon, so., F; Zoe Boylen, so., G; Sydney Hansen, so., G; Presley Meyer, fr., G.

Worth noting: The Cogs will be young team on the floor this year with no seniors and only one junior in the starting five. Royalty has been working hard to create a new culture and grow girls basketball within the Genoa-Kingston community, which he said paid off with his girls growing to be extremely coachable and hardworking.

“It started with great turnout for our summer camp, and we took that momentum into the summer league at Byron,” Royalty said. “I did not know what to expect with such a young team. The girls exceeded our expectations by having our best record ever during summer league. It was eye-opening for the potential that this group has.”

Hinckley-Big Rock Royals

Head coach: Doug Brewington (ninth season)

Last season: 21-13, 7-2 Little Ten Conference (third)

Top returners: Lilliana Martinez, sr., G; Georgia Allen, jr., F; Sami Carlino, jr., F; Raven Wagner, jr., F.; Anna Herrmann, soph., G

Top newcomers: Grace Michaels, jr., G, Cam Michaelski, so., G.

Worth noting: Brewington’s Royals have been on a roll since basketball resumed in Illinois after the pandemic, winning back-to-back regional titles and posting back-to-back 20-win seasons. Last year, their season ended with a 60-53 loss to conference champion Serena. This year, the Royals look to make that jump and take the Little Ten Conference title. The Royals had a strong summer, going 7-1 in the Plano Summer League. This winter, look for a team that will push the ball up the floor in transition and press a lot in the backcourt.

Hiawatha Hawks

Coach: Kenny McPeek (first season)

Last season: 5-22, 3-6 Little Ten Conference (eighth)

Top returners: Brooklyn Rylko, sr., F; Malia Hampton, sr., C; Nelly Devalle, jr., G; Zoe Elder, jr., G; Delaney Wood, so., F.

Top newcomers: Izzy Fruit, jr., F/C; Brielle Molloy, so., F; Ava Nuckles, so., G.

Worth noting: Hiawatha’s first-year coach McPeek takes over a program that struggled mightily not only last year, but for the better part of a decade. McPeek was complimentary of his players.

“They listen well and have great work ethics,” McPeek said. “We are consciously working on giving 100% effort all the time, taking good shots when available and just trying to install a new culture to get the program heading in a better direction.”

Note: Indian Creek will not field a varsity girls basketball team this season.